


We will call this place our home (The dirt in which our roots may grow)

by Bunigiri



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, I wrote this because the adults in KHR make me mad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-02 19:38:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 74,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14551995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bunigiri/pseuds/Bunigiri
Summary: “‘Lo.” He grunts into the cellphone.“Is this Tanaka Yuuto?”“Yes.”“Hello, this is Namimori hospital—” Oh. “—and we’re calling to inform you that there’s been an accident.” Stop. “Sawada Nana did not make it and her son—” Yuuto only hears white noise as those words repeat in his head.(In which Sawada Nana had a brother who really didn't want to be a parent, yet it's exactly what he got.)





	1. One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank my partner for listening to me ramble indignantly about how we never hear anything about Nana’s family in KHR, how 90% of the adult figures in the series are useless and for encouraging me to get past the nervousness of using an OC(s) in canon, and actually upload this.
> 
> I don’t hate Nana, but I do think she’s a bad parental figure. (Iemitsu is a different story due to personal reasons)
> 
> There were actually two versions of this in the works. This one and another in which Nana does live but is confined to a wheelchair. Her brother coming to live in Namimori to help take care of her son and her. This verse won out over the other because I really didn't want to write Nana.

Yuuto is fourteen when he meets his big sister’s boyfriend and he is not impressed. The man is suspicious, always having to dismiss himself to make phone calls or back out of dates with the flimsiest excuses imaginable. He tries to convince his sister that Sawada Iemitsu is bad news.

A few months after starting to date Sawada, his sister announces at dinner that she’s going to marry the man. Yuuto goes to bed hungry, having left the dinner table at the announcement.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto is fifteen when he gets into a screaming argument with his sister, tells her that Iemitsu is a shitty excuse for a husband and doesn’t deserve her.

He makes his pregnant sister cry at her own wedding, that her husband had left almost immediately after the ceremony was over. He has never _hated_ a singular person so much in his life as he does that man.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto is seventeen and he’s staring at the caskets of their parents being lowered into the ground. His sister is beside him and they cling to each other's hands with bone crushing grips, little Tsunayoshi asleep in his stroller behind them. A car accident had taken their parents lives.

Later he has another argument with his sister about her husband. What kind of husband doesn’t accompany his wife to her own parent’s funeral? Who leaves his wife alone to care for a two old baby while grieving for her parents?

He and his sister cut off all contact with each other after that. Their last words exchanged sharpened to cut, bitter and angry.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto is twenty and studying for an exam. He is beyond exhausted, deep bags under his eyes as he stares at his laptop screen blearily, trying to not fall asleep. He can hear his phone ring once, and ignores it. It rings again a moment later and he glares at it from the corner of his vision. When it rings for the third time, he finally answers it. The irritation he felt melts away into numb shock within moments.

A stranger's voice tells him that there’s been an accident involving his sister, that she didn’t make it through surgery. Tells him that they can’t get a hold of her son’s father, that Yuuto is the last known kin they could call for the boy.

 

* * *

 

He is only twenty, barely an adult, when Sawada Nana dies in a car accident. He books a flight to Namimori the moment the call ends. It will leave first thing in the morning. After packing his suitcase with mechanical and numbed movements, Yuuto goes to lay down and cries until he makes himself sick.

He wonders if dying in car accidents is a curse of his family.

 

* * *

 

“ _What the hell do you mean you can’t get a hold of her husband?_ Shouldn’t there be ways to contact him in some files, _somewhere?_ ” Yuuto snarls, his hands balled into fists on the table, as he glares at the lawyer sitting across from him.

“We’ve tried, Mr. Tanaka... no one can get in contact with him. It’s like the man disappeared. As the last known kin we could locate for her son, we had to contact you.” The woman continues, ignoring the strangled sound Yuuto makes in his throat. “Now, you’re very young, still in university... Tsunayoshi is a sweet little boy, he would be adopted out quickly and social services would make sure _he finds a good family—“_ She goes on but Yuuto tunes her out, staring at the photo the lawyer slides across the table of his nephew.  
  
He’s a cute little boy, with big eyes and a brown mop of fluff on his head.

Yuuto knows he’s doing well in university, that he can always get another job, that there are plenty of helpful organizations available for single parents...

He stills as he realizes the road his thoughts are going down.  
  
Can he do that? Is he willing to do that? _Is he strong enough?_

His eyes trace the familiar smile that is caught on the little boy’s face in the photo and sucks in a breath through his teeth. Seeing his sister’s smile on the face of his nephew feels like a stab to the gut.

“What do I need to do to become his official guardian.” Yuuto grunts out, cutting off whatever the lawyer was saying, as his gaze slides from the picture to the other person's face. The woman’s mouth is open, mid-sentence, but she makes no sound. Apparently she hadn’t expected that. Composing herself, the lawyer leans forward with a fake smile. “Mr. T-Tanaka, sir... that’s—”

“What do I do? If you don’t tell me, I’ll find someone else who will.” He cuts her off, that smile making him bristle in irritation.

Yuuto stares the lawyer in the eye, daring her to try and tell him he’s unfit or that it’s not a responsibility he should take. His big sister had her son when she was twenty, same age as he is right now. If she could do it, _he can do it._    
  
“W-well...  _first we’ll have to..._ ” The woman begins and Yuuto eyes the photo of his nephew the entire time they talk.

 

* * *

 

Tsuna is nearly six when he’s called to the principal's office and told to wait. Something weak and feeble, barely heard, whispers in him that something is very wrong. Tsuna ignores it. A half-hour later a lady with deep-red hair swoops in. “W-who are you...” Tsuna asks the redhead as he turns his attention away from the principal. He doesn’t know why the man keeps looking at him with sadness, but he doesn’t like it. The lady, on the other hand, smiles gently at him and Tsuna likes her instantly.

“My name is Sato Misumi, and you’re Sawada Tsunayoshi, right?” She responds and Tsuna nods rapidly, “I-I like your hair, Ms. Sato! It’s pretty!” He says with a bright smile. The red shade reminded him of the apples that his mama cut up for his school lunches. Ms. Sato laughs at what he said, tells him to call her Misumi, and leads him from the principal's office, walking slowly so Tsuna doesn’t trip over himself so much.

“Where we are going?” He finally asks as they get outside. Misumi guides him to her car and helps him buckle in. “We need to go to the police station, Tsunayoshi.” She responds buckling herself up, starting the car and driving out of the parking lot from his school. He bounces in the back seat, excited to go there. Police stations are cool!

 

* * *

 

At the police station they sit him down quietly, gazes soft and sad. Misumi holds his hands and gives him the news gently. Tsuna can’t stop crying and he clings to the woman, face buried against her shoulder.

Deep down he knows what he was told means.

 

* * *

 

A week later, Misumi leads him into a room. Tsuna clings to her hand as he stares at the young man that’s already in there, slouched in a chair. “Are you here for mama?” He asks in a dull tone, making the man flinch.  
“... Yes.” The other says and glances at Misumi quickly. Whatever the man sees encourages him to continue “Uhm... Tsunayoshi... my name is Tanaka Yuuto. I’m your mom’s brother...” The man—Yuuto says, clearing his throat awkwardly when Misumi gives him a nod of approval. “Mama... had a brother?” Tsuna asks, his tone barely changing from the deadened one it’s been in. His mama never mentioned having a brother and Tsuna just stares at this stranger blankly.

“Yep... that’s me... uhm,  _this is hard..._ ” Yuuto trails off into a whisper and then straightens out of his slumped posture, leaning forward. The serious air that suddenly surrounds the man makes something in Tsuna sit up a little straighter and listen more closely. “Tsunayoshi... _Nan—_  your mom and I weren’t very close—” Partial truth. “—but I loved her very much—” Truth. “—And I know she loved you too... it’s why I’m here now.” Also truth.

The man was here for him. It made Tsuna feel only slightly lighter.

He continues to stare blankly, not willing to speak, and Misumi takes over the conversation, telling Tsuna that he’ll be living with Yuuto in a couple of months. “Y-you’re not gonna leave?” Tsuna asks suddenly, his grip on the woman’s hand tightening at the thought. “No, Tsuna... I’m going to be with you, both of you, every step of the way through this, okay?” Misumi reassures him gently.

He nods slowly, and as Misumi leads him back out of the room Tsuna glances over his shoulder at his uncle. The man is staring solemnly right back at him.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto stares with a hard gaze at the casket. He’s done this before, he doesn’t want to be doing it again. He feels like he’s drowning in the black suit he’s wearing and he wants to leave, _badly_. There is barely anyone in attendance for the funeral making Yuuto feels grief and anger grip even tighter at his heart, like a vice. Did his sister have such a small pool of friends, of people that would care if she were _gone?_  God, he hates this.

Brown eyes do another sweep of the meager crowd and Yuuto grinds his teeth together. The absence of Sawada Iemitsu is expected and it makes the contempt he’s always kept for the older man snarl deep inside. A tug at his sleeve pulls him away from his spiraling thoughts and Yuuto looks down at his nephew.

The boy has a vice grip on the fabric of his suit jacket and big doe eyes, puffy from crying, stare up at him from a solemn face. Inhaling deeply, Yuuto carefully locks his anger up at the world for taking his sister and nephew’s mother away. He avoids thinking of her husband for the rest of the funeral.

 

* * *

 

When Tsuna starts crying again as they lower the casket into the ground, his uncle grips his hand tight and silently joins him.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto groans as he dumps another box onto the apartment floor. Moving is a bitch and he never wants to do it again. He can hear his nephew puttering about deeper in the apartment but decides to leave the kid be. It’s only been two months since his sister, _Tsuna’s mother,_  died and Yuuto knows that the boy needs space and time to grieve. Not to mention it’s awkward... for both of them. Yuuto had seen Tsunayoshi _once,_ when he was two years old, and from the sounds of it Nana hadn’t mentioned her side of the family around her son at all.

It stings to know that, but he believes the sting is well deserved.

Yuuto, himself, has kept his grieving controlled. He has to stay strong for Tsunayoshi. A child is depending on him and every time that thought crosses his mind, he feels terror claw at him. He had never wanted to be a parent and yet, _here he is._

The fact that he had to move to Namimori in order to obtain guardianship of his nephew still irritated him, but it was one of the conditions that the court would not budge on. That, along with undergoing monthly check-ups and reviews for the next three years. At least the person assigned to their case was a known element. Sato Misumi has been there since the beginning and Tsuna seemed to trust her. Yuuto found it a great relief to have another adult available to help, he honestly had no idea what he was doing sometimes.

 

* * *

 

It’s been three months since Yuuto moved to Namimori to care for his nephew, since he uprooted everything he had been building, all for the sake of his sister’s son. He had yet to apply in house for the local university, he wasn’t ready, but he had begun to take online courses so he wouldn’t fall too far behind. Sato helped him get a job as a desk clerk and, though he didn’t like it, it paid well enough for a single adult and small child to live off of. So in the end, Yuuto supposed that it was good enough for now.

Humming to himself, Yuuto unlocks the door to the apartment and steps inside. The lights are off, which is strange. Usually Tsuna would be sat at the couch watching T.V. quietly. It’s really all the six year-old does and Yuuto doesn’t even know where to begin bridging the gap between his nephew and himself. Sato had said to wait, that Tsuna would be ready when he was ready.

Yuuto doesn’t know when even _he’ll_ be ready, much less a little kid. He can’t look at the pictures Tsuna keeps by his bedside of Nana at all. The only reason he hasn’t broken down is because of the responsibilities he has now. “Tsuna?” Yuuto calls as he pulls his jacket off, hooking it on the coat rack. He receives no answer. Yuuto frowns at this as usually his nephew will respond if called for.

He walks further into the apartment, headed towards Tsuna’s bedroom. The door is partially ajar and, as he gets closer, Yuuto can make out what sounds like crying. He stands there hesitantly, a shadow against the door frame.

“ _... I-I miss h-her..._ ” A lump, that Yuuto can make out on the bed, hiccups softly. The quiet sobs continue and Yuuto has a split second of indecision. Does he leave Tsuna alone? Does the kid need more space? Sato’s words echo in his head to not push to fast but what does she mean?

Yuuto grits his teeth and steps into the bedroom, striding over to the bed and sitting down on the edge. His nephew blearily stares at him through tears. " _I m-miss h-her!_ ” Tsuna croaks, more tears leaking down his pale cheeks. Yuuto stares back at the child, panic rising in him. He has no idea what to do.  _Why did he come in here?_  
  
He watches Tsuna heave a loud sob and, before he can overthink, leans over, gathering him up in his arms. His hold tightens around his nephew, who has gone still in the embrace. “ _I miss her too..._ ” Yuuto says softly, voice cracking near the end as grief closes his throat and his eyes start burning. Tsuna is still for another moment before the dam breaks, arms wrapping tight around his uncle as the boy cries into the man’s shoulder for his mother.

“ _I W-WANT HER B-BACK!_ ” Tsuna wails against his collarbone with all the rage a child can muster at the world in his voice, small fingers digging into his uncle's shoulder blades. “ _I W-WANT M-MAMA BACK! IT’S N-NOT FAIR!_ "

Yuuto makes quiet, nonsensical soothing noises as he rubs one hand across his nephew’s back, letting the little boy sob all he wants. “ _I know..._ "

He doesn’t know how long they sit there before Tsuna’s cries soften again, and his nephew goes quiet. He thinks the boy has fallen asleep and makes to move when little hands clench the soft fabric of his t-shirt.

“ _Uncle Y-Yuuto... D-Don’t l-leave me..._ ”Tsuna hiccups, burying closer. It’s the first time he’s addressed Yuuto as his uncle, and the young man's heart clenches in his chest. “ _I won’t..._ ” He begins and his nephew removes his face from where he hid it against Yuuto’s torso, staring at the adult with puffy, red eyes and tear stained cheeks. " _P-Promise? Promise y-you won’t l-leave me?_ " The unspoken 'like mama' rings in the quiet of the boy’s room. 

“ _I promise._ ”

 

* * *

 

Yuuto gently tucks his nephew into bed, the kid had finally fallen asleep after another hour of clinging to him. He can practically feel her gaze, watching him intently, as he stares down at his nephew with furrowed brows. Inhaling, Yuuto turns his head and, for the first time since the funeral, looks at his sister’s face. The picture on Tsuna’s nightstand is of her smiling and Yuuto feels his eyes start to burn.

He turns on his heel and swiftly leaves, fleeing her sight. He still can’t face her, can he? She may have been smiling in that picture but he feels like her eyes were accusing him.

 

* * *

 

Rolling over in bed, Yuuto stares up at the ceiling, counting the divots and bumps in the plaster. He can’t sleep. Smiling eyes haunt his mind.

He knows he has to face her, eventually... has to face his own grief before it grows too large and consumes him when least expected. Pulling at the courage that suddenly sparks deep in his chest, Yuuto rises to his feet and crosses the bedroom to his closet.

The family photo album is in there, in one of the boxes that have yet to be unpacked, somewhere.

It takes him fifteen minutes to find it, at which point the courage has almost left him, but then he catches sight of the album’s timeworn cover and the spark reignites. His hand hovers over the top of it, indecisive.

But... he has to do this.

Slowly he flips through pages of photographs until he comes to the one that makes him pause. It’s of his sister and himself. They're smiling widely and a large Ferris Wheel is captured on display behind them. He remembers when this was taken. Their parents had taken them to the amusement park for the day, a family outing to bond over. He thinks fondly of how they had dared each other to eat copious amounts of amusement park food. He still couldn’t stomach the idea of ever eating cotton candy again. Just the sickly sweet smell was enough to make his stomach roll.

The family outing had occurred two months before Nana announced she was going to marry her boyfriend. It’s the last moment he can think of really spending time with his family without the looming shadow of Iemitsu.

He traces both of their younger selves smiles. Takes in how Nana had been taller than him back then, remembering how she would always tease him for being so short for his age. Yuuto pulls the picture from it’s protective slip, going back to his bed to sit down and hunches over as be stares at the photo. How does he do this? The grief counselor that was assigned to him by the court, another stipulation for his guardianship of Tsuna to be approved, said that talking to the person, even if dead, can help one come to terms. He thinks it’s a bit morbid but...

“H-hey sis...” Yuuto whispers, voice catching. “It’s been a long time... huh?” He feels so incredibly awkward doing this.

“I’m not as short anymore. Surprised? You always tried to convince me I’d stay short forever...” He flounders for what to say. What do you say to a dead person, that you hadn't talked to in years even when they were alive? Yuuto stares at the photograph for a long minute before sucking in a shuddering breath.  
  
“ _... God ... I’m so sorry, sis... I’m s-so fucking sorry..._ ” He finally breaks. “You were so alone, weren’t you? Out here in this damn town?”  
“I wish we had g-gotten back in touch... god, I’m sorry for what I said back then... I wish I could tell you how much I loved you and was proud you were my sister before it was t-too late...” He can’t stop the way his lungs shudder on each inhale. “I’m sorry, sis... I’m so sorry you had such a shitty little brother like me...”   
  
“I’m going to take care of him, you know? I-I’m going to take care of your son. He reminds me so much of you... it hurts sometimes to look at him.”  He croaks out, covering his eyes with one hand, cheeks stained with tears. 

“ _I’ll care good care of him, I’ll do better._ " For his sister.  
  
“ _I promise... I’ll be better._ ” For his nephew.

 

* * *

 

After that night, the healing process begins and the bridge between uncle and nephew is built.

 

* * *

 

It’s been a year and a couple of months since they started living together. His nephew’s seventh birthday had come and gone. It had been a solemn affair, neither of them all that willing to celebrate.

 

* * *

 

About two months ago Misumi and the psychologist had cleared Tsuna to head back to school. His nephew hadn’t been all that keen on it but there would be no fighting the decision. The boy needed to go back and Yuuto couldn’t provide his education, even if he had briefly thought of homeschooling Tsuna.

Currently, Yuuto is staring at the report card his nephew had fumbled with before handing to him. The kid’s body language screams of embarrassment and Yuuto can see why. Tsuna was getting horrible grades. “Tsuna... I’m not mad.” Yuuto says as he drops the report card onto the table, his nephew flinching at the swift and careless movement. “Y-You’re not?” Tsuna asks, peeking at him from under his bangs.

“No, I’m concerned. Is it too soon? Do you want to wait another year?” He replies. These grades are...  _abysmal_ , which shocks Yuuto because Tsuna had almost A’s all throughout his school years before Nana’s death. But maybe... maybe that’s a reason why?

“I... no, it’s okay...” Tsuna mumbles and wrings his hands. Yuuto squints his eyes, staring at the boy until he starts fidgeting and asks, “Are you _sure_ _?_ "  
  
“Yes... it’s just... just _h-harder..._   _the words..._ ” His nephew starts mumbling and Yuuto snaps his fingers, tutting, “No mumbles. You know I don’t understand mumbles.”

Tsuna flushes, “ _Hiie_... sorry...”  
  
“It’s alright, just say it again but this time without the mumbles.”  
  
“W-well... I-I... the teachers d-don’t answer my questions and everyone laughs at me when I get something wrong.” Tsuna glances at his uncle and almost squeaks. There’s a dangerous gleam in Yuuto’s eyes. “Continue...” Yuuto prompts and his tone makes Tsuna nervous, it’s very blank.

“ _Uhm_... t-the other kids s-sometimes take my homework and t-tear it up, and I have to do it a-again! But by then, I-I forget the answers and the teachers won’t help!” His uncle makes a noncommittal hum and Tsuna gulps, before going on. “N-no one gets it when I t-tell them it’s hard to read words... the teachers t-tell me to stop being difficult when I tell them I don’t understand something or that letters and w-words swim when I l-look at them o-or try to read an—”  
  
“Alright, you can stop now.” Yuuto says and the adult starts tapping his fingers along the table. Tsuna recognizes it as the _'_ _I’m thinking of the best ways I can ruin someone'_  tick. It’s quiet for a few minutes, and Tsuna starts to wonder if he can leave yet. The silence is getting to him. “Tsuna... how long have words swam when you try to read? Does it happen with math too?” Yuuto asks out of nowhere, breaking the silence and causing Tsuna to jolt with a _'_ _hie!'_  in surprise.

“U-uhm... I think... a little before m-mama...” Tsuna can’t finish his sentence but his uncle nods anyways. “Okay... thank you for telling me.” Yuuto says, picking up Tsuna’s report card and staring at it again.

When his uncle proceeds to shred the report card into tiny bits in front of Tsuna and stand, patting him on the head as he leaves the kitchen, Tsuna can only watch the adult leave with a confused stare.

 

* * *

 

“I think Tsuna is dyslexic.” Is what Yuuto leads with when the young man takes a seat at their usual table in the cafe. No hellos or how are yous.

Misumi blinks at him, coffee cup cradled in her hands. When she had run into Tanaka Yuuto, one of the people in case she was currently assigned too, at this cafe a few months ago, she hadn’t thought that it would become a regular thing. “...  _Ok_... we can arran—” She begins but Yuuto cuts her off.

“And he’s being bullied, by the kids _and_ _the damn teachers_.” Yuuto grumbles and Misumi stares at him, calmly setting her cup down after a moment and asking, “... Are you sure?” Misumi finds it hard to believe and she knows skepticism can be heard in her tone. “Yes... how much trouble do you think I’d be in if I slipped an audio recorder into Tsuna’s backpack, before he goes to school?” He's not really asking her, she's fairly certain, but she can't help the involuntary noise of protest at what he says. Yuuto's eyes narrow dangerously, mouth pressing into a thin line at her perceived protest.

“Well... there isn’t a law against that bu—“ She starts and he cuts her off again.  
  
“ _Good_. Now, the dyslexia thing.” And then waits for her to answer, like he didn’t just suggest he’s going to secretly have his nephew record conversations at his school. Misumi wonders how she became friends with this man and if it was all that good of an idea.  
  
“His current psychologist hasn’t noted he has something like that... but I can bring it up and have them test him?” She begins, quickly tagging on the ending when his eyes narrow even further. “ _Hmmm_...second option?” He asks and she wants to sigh.  
  
“Neurologist. Sign him up to see a neurologist.”

Yuuto gives her a nod and suddenly stands, heading to the counter to order one of the overly chocolaty lattes he gets every time he’s here. Misumi watches him go with an exasperated expression. Well, if there was one thing that was a plus in Tanaka Yuuto’s favor for his guardianship of Tsuna, in her opinion, it was that he had a rather vicious protective streak in him for a man that hadn’t wanted and didn't care for children.

She still breaks out in hives when remembering how he had gotten his neighbors evicted because their two tiny dogs kept harassing his nephew.

 

* * *

 

When the audio recorder Yuuto slipped into Tsuna’s backpack reveals that his nephew was being bullied, by more than just the kids, he starts sending more recorders and saving each new audio recording to his laptop. _He has an entire USB filled of just the recordings by the time he acts_.

When the test results come back from both the psychologist and neurologist that Tsuna is indeed dyslexic, Yuuto sits patiently with his nephew every night after work and helps the boy go through his schoolwork. He snaps a photo of each completed sheet so when Tsuna brings the turned in work back and it’s clearly been tampered with, different answers and a failing grade, he can line them side-by-side and compare. _He makes and stores copies of everything._

When Yuuto calmly sits down in front of the principal of Tsuna’s school and lays out all the evidence, he makes sure that he memorizes each of the teacher’s faces the older man calls in when identified on the audio recordings. _Just in case._

And when the principal tries to strong arm Yuuto into just sweeping this all under the rug, that the teachers will be reprimanded and it won’t happen again? Yuuto smiles coldly as he tells the older man that he’s already sent copies of everything to the Board of Education, and the City Council. If he casually sets up ways to further ruin the teachers through blackmail, _well_ , no one will know until they do something to piss him off.

When he goes home that night, Yuuto lets Tsuna stay up as late as he wants and calls off work for the next day. They go out for ice cream and a movie later in the afternoon with Misumi, both having slept in.

 

* * *

 

Tsuna’s eighth and ninth birthday were a slightly better affair than his sixth and seventh. Only his uncle and Misumi were invited to each. It was still bittersweet but didn’t hurt as much as the first one after his mother’s death had.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto worries about Tsuna. His nephew is clumsy and no amount of growth spurts can explain the way the kid trips all over himself. He decides to start signing his nephew up for various clubs and afterschool activities that involve physical exercise of some kind, hoping it’ll help build coordination.

He never makes Tsuna stay in something for more than a month if the kid dislikes it, but slowly Yuuto can see his plan working. Having his nephew experience, at least for a month, an entire new physical type of activity has improved the Tsuna’s coordination by a mile. His nephew is still clumsy but it’s no longer to an extent that makes Yuuto worry Tsuna will trip over his feet and, somehow, choke himself with his own _shoelaces._

 

* * *

 

Tsuna is almost ten when he joins the baseball club, one of the first afterschool activities Yuuto signed him up for.

 

* * *

 

" _I’m home!_ "  
“How was school?”  
“I-It was good!”  
“I can see you squirm… what happened?”  
“N-nothing bad happened! I swear!”  
"Tsuna..."  
“ _I swear!_ I-I just... I made a friend in the baseball club...”  
“Oh? That’s great! What’s their name?”  
“H-His name is Takeshi, and guess what! His dad owns Takesushi! You remember it? We went with Misumi a couple of months ago!”

Tsuna didn’t stay long in the baseball club, but his friendship with Takeshi remained. The first time Tsuna had shyly asked if he could have a sleepover, Yuuto had called Misumi up in a blind panic and asked her what he should do.

Her answering, after she had laughed at him for a good three minutes, “Junk food, movies and games. Didn’t you have sleepovers as a boy, Yuuto?” left him feeling like an idiot for not thinking of the obvious.

 

* * *

 

Tsuna is ten-and-a-half when Yuuto gets him to try the boxing club, to which he leaves very quickly, but not without having gained someone new to his inner circle.

 

* * *

 

The new friend Tsuna made at boxing club gives Yuuto a headache. The kid has no volume control and his vocabulary seems to consist of the word 'Extreme!' only.

“ _RYOHEI! QUIET DOWN!_ " Yuuto yells down the hall as he hears the boy shout in reply to something Takeshi said, Tsuna giggling in the background. “ _SORRY TO THE EXTREME!! MR. TANAKA!_ ” Yuuto feels his eye twitch.

Sleepovers start happening at the other boy’s houses more often when Yuuto comes home one night to find that they have broken the coffee table, turned the couch upside down and brought a cat to the apartment.

The cat does not stay when Yuuto discovers that he is allergic, but Tsuna apparently knows where it got adopted too and he can tell whenever his nephew visits it or has been around person who owns the feline because his allergies act up every time Tsuna comes home with a familiar shade of cat hair dusted on his clothes.

 

* * *

 

Tsuna is eleven when Yuuto stops signing him up for afterschool clubs due to the next kid that is befriended.

 

* * *

 

“A-afternoon, Kyouya!”

Tsuna greets an older boy on their walk home, who is loosely holding a pair of gleaming metal tonfas in his hands. Yuuto swears there is blood on the edges of them. “Little Animal—” A nod and head pat to Tsuna, “—and carnivore...” A knowing glance to Yuuto and he makes a face at the kid’s choice of words and actions. It was like the boy was greeting his nephew like he was a pet, head patting included... and Little Animal? Carnivore?

“How did you meet that one?” He asks as they walk away. “A-at the park, during football practice. One of the boys kicked the ball into some flowers, and Hibari beat him up with his tonfas for disturbing the peace.” Tsuna replies, seemingly oblivious to how wrong that sounds, as Yuuto stares at his nephew incredulously. _What the fuck?_

“He adopted lil’ Miki too! It’s how we became friends.”

So that’s where the cat went.

 

* * *

 

At thirteen Tsuna no longer trips over himself with every step and he’s doing alright in school. His birthday that year is a happy affair. His three friends, though Hibari hadn’t stayed long, Misumi and his uncle in attendance.

That night he tells the picture of his mom by his bedside that he misses her still, but he’s okay... he’s happy. So she doesn’t need to worry about him.

 

* * *

 

His uncle is at his desk, hunched over his laptop, when Tsuna enters the man’s bedroom with a knock. “What’s with that expression?” Yuuto asks as he catches sight of him, gesturing in a circular motion at his face. Taking in a deep breath, Tsuna asks the question that’s been on his mind for the past couple of weeks.

“Did you know my father?”

His uncle freezes over his laptop and stares at it’s screen. Tsuna can just barely make out the adult’s expression and it’s carefully blank. “... Yuuto?” Tsuna murmurs when his uncle still hasn’t made a sound or moved. “... _Uncle?_ ”  
  
“Y-yeah... I knew your father.” Yuuto finally says and shuts his laptop screen, spinning in his chair to face Tsuna. “Do you know what happened to him?” Tsuna asks as he walks closer, stopping in front of his uncle. “No... he, uh, disappeared shortly after visiting your mother and you... when you were five, I think....” He can tell his uncle doesn’t like the topic that he’s brought up, but Tsuna is curious and determined.

“Did... did he love my mom...  _did he love me?_ ”

Yuuto scrubs at his face and then glances up at him after a moment, “... I don’t know, kiddo...”

“ _Oh_...”  
  
They both stay in silence for several minutes before Tsuna opens his mouth again, “What was she like? When you were kids?”

His uncle stays silent, staring down at his hands before getting up and heading to the closet. When the adult emerges after rummaging through a box, Tsuna peering nervously in from where he still stood at the desk, he carries a large book of some sort in his hands. Sitting down on the bed, Yuuto pats the space next to him for Tsuna. His nephew sits immediately and leans against him, eyes wide as he stares at the huge photo album on the man’s lap and carefully, his uncle opens it.  
  
“This is what your grandparents looked like. Their names were Rika and Junichi...” His uncle begins as the first set of photos is revealed and Tsuna drinks in the sight of a man and woman, who look a bit like his uncle and mom, greedily.

“This was your grandma on her wedding day. Apparently your grandpa had fallen into the duck pond and she decided to pose for the camera with him floundering in the background.” Tsuna feels a smile tug at his lips at his uncle's words as he takes in the series of photos. They all depicted his grandmother in her wedding dress as she laughs and poses, his grandfather behind her trying to escape a pond while fighting off ducks.

The next few pages are more wedding pictures before suddenly changing to that of a baby. Tsuna blinks, it has to be— “Your mom when she was born... her first birthday... riding a pony...”  Another photograph of his mom, as a kid now, holding a baby catches his eye. “Is that you? _Wow_ , you were tiny!” Tsuna exclaims. “Not as tiny as you, kiddo.” Yuuto huffs in amusement and flips through some more pages, sharing pieces of information on each photograph.

“Whose that?”  
“One of your great uncles, Taro. He was a real piece of work. One time, as kids, he took your mom and I on a fishing trip, _and..._ ”

They spend the rest of the day going through the photo album, Yuuto telling him stories about family that’s long since passed. Tsuna never questions why there aren’t any photos of the man meant to be his father.

As he leans against his uncle and listening intently to every story, Tsuna thinks maybe he doesn’t need that man to be his father, that he doesn’t want him to be. He has Yuuto instead.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto is twenty-eight the first time a flier shows up in his apartment mailbox, proclaiming how a tutor will make your child into the next leader of a generation. Yuuto spares it barely a second thought and tosses it into the trash with the rest of the junk mail.

The second time it shows up, he tosses it again. He tosses the several more that follow, more and more irritation sparking up his spine with everyone.

When the fliers start appearing on the stone fences and telephone polls of Yuuto’s usual early morning jog route, he leaves a complaint at the feet of the weird little pompadour kids, that go to Tsuna’s school, about how someone is soliciting and dirtying their town with scams. The fliers don’t stay up for long on his jog route after that and he ignores how the Hibari boy starts following him around in the morning, clearly looking for whoever has been putting the pieces of paper up.

When a professional looking flier shows up, personally addressed to him a week after the jogging incident, and lines out how the tutor has experience with teaching dyslexic children, _with sources?_

Yuuto takes it inside and emerges a minute later with a lighter. “ _A_ _lright_ , I don’t know if you’re watching this, but your shitty little pranks have gone on long enough.” He calls out across the street, eyes scanning back and forth for any sign of someone watching. Yuuto holds up the flier, presses the lighter up to it’s edges and clicks then watches in satisfaction as it burns. He only drops it to the pavement when the flames lick at his fingers and then stomps on the remains for added emphasis.  
  
“ _Don’t send anymore_.”

 

* * *

 

When Reborn arrived in Namimori and had gone to the address, the pitifully small folder for his newest job gave, he had stared at the house that most _definitely_ did not have any Sawada Nana’s or Tsunayoshi’s living in it for a full minute.

Approaching the family that was currently living there, and asking them where the previous family had gone had worked in his favor, especially when he acted like he was a lost little child. Sometimes this form he was forced into had its uses. The best use? People would tell Reborn  _anything_ because he was just a baby to 90% of the populace. The Not-Sawada family had told him that the previous homeowner had died, and that was all he had gotten from them. When he tracked down the full information, Reborn had thrown the folder Timoteo had given him into the trash and shot the garbage can full of bullet holes with extreme prejudice. He was that offended.

Sawada Nana had been dead for eight years. _Eight!_  How the fuck had that been missed? Reborn desperately wanted to know who all had been stationed in this town so he could kill them himself.

 

* * *

 

The further level of incompetence he found, as he did his own research, made the desire to murder all those involved with putting this job together rise. It also made Reborn stay his hand at reporting to Timoteo about the frankly offensively faulty information given to him, _out of_ _spite_ ,because he knew that CEDEF would hear about it if he did and he wanted Iemitsu to suffer in his ignorance for as long as possible.

 

* * *

 

Sawada Tsunayoshi was alive and well. Reborn had thought he might have perished along with his mother but no one had known or remembered, and was relieved that wasn’t the case. However, the boy was not the dangerously clumsy, dim-witted kid that Reborn had been told about. The young teenager was also not friendless as he had three boys he often hung out with.

Reborn was very pleased to note that all of Tsunayoshi’s friends were possible guardian candidates and could feel the soft flicker of their flame cores. A Rain, a Sun and a Cloud. There was even the beginnings of guardian bonds forming, young and not very deep or solidified, but the fact that the boy had unconsciously gathered three dormant elements to him was a good sign that they were very compatible. Especially when taken into account that Tsunayoshi was cut off from his flames due to the sealing.

Furthermore, and this had never been mentioned in any report concerning Sawada Nana and her history, Tsunayoshi was living with  _his uncle._  Reborn knew the man was a Lighting the moment he saw him. Having been around the Lightning Arcobaleno for several years in the beginning of this cursed life, for experiments on fixing it, made one very aware of how lightning flames felt. The man's flame core was nearly awakened too. Probably a side effect of having been around an awakened Sky, even one that's been sealed away like Sawada boy has been, for years. Reborn didn’t have any doubts that Tsunayoshi's uncle would be his first guardian element to fully harmonize.

The uncle had apparently taken legal guardianship of Tsunayoshi when the boy’s mother died and no one could locate or reach his father. Reborn wondered if CEDEF would _really_ miss Iemitsu if he took a quick flight back to Italy and _slowly killed the man_. He’s sure he could get Timoteo to agree to letting the idiot die for the greater good of everyone’s intelligence.

What kind of husband doesn’t notice that his wife died? What kind of father doesn’t check up on his own children? Because it’s very clear Iemitsu has not personally checked up on his ' _precious tuna-fishy_ ' or ' _darling wife_ ' in years.

Reborn starts shadowing the uncle more when he discovers the handiwork the man had in getting several teachers fired at his nephew’s school for abusive behavior, discrimination and misconduct. Secret audio recordings, document duplicating, blackmail... Reborn approved of his methods.

 

* * *

 

Tanaka Yuuto, Reborn soon realizes, is a _very stubborn_ _man_. He has sent fliers upon fliers to that apartment only to watch Tanaka toss them into the garbage without a second glance. It’s beginning to make his trigger-finger  _twitchy._

After watching the seventh flier get dumped into the trash, Reborn decides to try a different approach.

He spends all night plastering the papers along the route Tanaka takes for his morning weekend jog and then waits. His eyelid spasms when the man spares them a single glance, frowns and then keeps jogging. When a swarm of pompadour-haired kids start removing the fliers from the route every morning before Tanaka’s jog? Reborn drops the method and goes back to the drawing board.

Tanaka, clearly, isn’t someone who will fall for the current fliers so Reborn gets more professional with them. He’s confident when he places the new flier into the apartment mailbox. It’s sleek, easy-to-read but not on an insulting level and furthermore, Reborn added sources for _everything_. He even included a bit about having experience with those who have dyslexia after learning that the nephew had it.

It was only once, for a job, and in the end he did have to kill the person but it was experience nonetheless. He watches from his hiding spot in the trees, Leon transformed into binoculars and zoomed onto the apartment entrance as Tanaka comes walking out to check the mailbox like he does every morning. Reborn watches closely as the man pauses on the new flier, eyes flitting over its contents.

He feels smug when Tanaka takes it inside only for that to sour when the man re-emerges, flier and something else in his grasp.

Reborn clenches his hands around his Leon-Binoculars, so tight that the chameleon de-transforms and hobbles out of his grasp, when Tanaka yells out across the street and then  _sets the flier on fire_. The added stomping on it’s remains makes Reborn twitch so violently  the tree he’s perched on shakes.

 _Fine_. He’ll take the direct approach.

 

* * *

 

 _“I’m home._ " Yuuto calls out as he enters the apartment. The lights are out in the living room and he flicks them back on, eyes catching onto a note pinned to the corkboard that’s stationed on the wall by the front door. Leaning in, he reads it to himself aloud.  
  
“ _Gone to Takeshi’s for a sleepover. Be back tomorrow after school. - Love, Tsuna._ "   
  
Well, it seems he has the apartment to himself tonight. Yawning, Yuuto drops his laptop bag by the couch as he walks by and heads into the kitchen. He can smell coffee, so Tsuna must not have left all that long ago... but why his nephew decided to make coffee before heading to his friend’s house at around 11:30 is something Yuuto doesn’t want to question.

Kids make weird choices and he makes a mental note to talk to Tsuna about going out so late on at night, especially a school night.

Rubbing at his eyes, Yuuto steps into the dark kitchen and goes to the mug cupboard. He knows his way around the entire apartment like the back of his hands, especially the kitchen, and doesn’t really need any lights to navigate. Patting around for the coffee machine after he’s grabbed a mug, Yuuto fills it and inhales. “ _Nnngh_...” He grunts as he takes a long sip, eyes slipping shut. Tsuna made espresso... odd choice...

“Do you always leave the lights off when drinking coffee?”  
  
Yuuto chokes on the next sip and lunges across the kitchen, hand fumbling with the light switch. The lights coming on blinds him momentarily and he flattens himself against the wall, coffee mug clutched to his chest.

“ _Ciaossu~_ ”  
  
There is a baby sitting at his kitchen table. _A suit and fedora wearing baby_.

 

* * *

 

Reborn’s eyes track the man as he enters the kitchen in the dark, completely ignorant to the fact that he’s not alone. It’s rather amusing to watch the way the other inhales the espresso Reborn made only a half-hour ago, practically groaning in delight. He chuckles inwardly when Tanaka flings himself across the kitchen, to the light switch at the sound of his voice. Takes delight in how wide those brown eyes get when the man spots him.

“ _... talking... baby._ ”  
“Reborn.”  
“... come again...”  
“My name.”  
“ _... uh-huh..._ ”

Reborn smirks.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto eyes the Not-A-Baby at his kitchen table. It’s drinking out of a coffee mug—  _wait._  He glances at the mug he’s cradling to his chest and then to the coffee machine. Oh god, _it made the coffee_. As though it might bite him, Yuuto quickly sets the coffee mug onto the counter closest to him, and then stays pressed against the wall. “What...  _are_ you...” He gets out and chokes on his tongue when there is suddenly a green gun in the thing’s tiny hand and a bullet hole just an inch from the side of his face in the wall.

“I’m the World’s Greatest Hitman.”  
  
Yuuto can practically hear the capital letters. “... right... and why are you _here?_ ” He asks, mentally shoving the half of him that wants to scream and run away into a corner. It’s fine, Yuuto just needs to ignore the fact that he’s talking to what looks like a baby but clearly isn’t. It’s all fine.

 _Why is it in his kitchen_ _?!_

“I’m here to tutor your nephew.” The Not-A-Baby says. Yuuto stills and suddenly he is no longer concerned that there is some creature, wearing a baby disguise, sipping coffee in his kitchen. Lightning zips up his spine, and for a split second, green lights up in Yuuto’s eyes as all his attention laser-focuses on the tiny fedora-wearing thing.

“ _You_... you’re the one who has been sending all of _those fucking fliers_!”  
“Correct.”  
Yuuto watches it take a sip of espresso and scowls, “ _No_.”  
“You can’t refuse.”  
“Get the fuck out of my apartment.”  
  
The green gun makes an appearance again and Yuuto flinches as another bullet rips into the wall behind him. “ _Stop shooting my wall!_ ” He hisses and the Not-A-Baby stares at him, a hint of irritation in it’s black eyes. “If I don’t shoot your wall, I will shoot _you_.” It says, and Yuuto feels a shudder race down his spine. Babies do not exude dark auras like that.

He wonders when he’s going to wake up from this bizarro nightmare. “You’re not dreaming, Mr. Tanaka.”

“That is _exactly_ what a nightmare would tell someone.” He is disturbed by the smile that quirks onto that childish and small face at being referred to as a nightmare. He thinks he should call the police.

“They won’t help you.”

The Not-A-Baby-Probably-A-Demon can, apparently, read his mind. _Wonderful_.

The words about tutoring from earlier ring in his head again and Yuuto pauses, thinking over all the fliers he got and then of how Not-A-Baby phrased the fact that it was here to tutor Tsuna. The statement was deliberate and brooked no argument. “Tsuna doesn’t need a tutor... not in school. He’s doing fine... and you’ve been beyond persistent with those damn fliers. For crying out loud, you broke into my fucking apartment, _at night_ _!_ ” He begins, staring into the Not-A-Baby’s black soulless eyes.

“... why are you _really_ here...”

 

* * *

 

Reborn smirks and stares right back at Tanaka. For a civilian, there is far less screaming than he thought there would be at meeting each other.

“I’m here to train Tsunayoshi to be a mafia boss.”

 

* * *

  
  
“ _Get the fuck—_ ” Crash. “— _out—_ ”  Smash. “— _of my apartment!_ ”

Reborn casually moves out of the way of another plate, watching as Tanaka reaches for more from the open cupboard. The man hadn't reacted like this when Reborn informed him he was here to train his nephew into being a mafia boss, in fact the other had been relatively calm and subdued.

It had only been when he began explaining more and uttered _'_ _Iemitsu'_ , that Tanaka had suddenly grabbed the coffee mug he sat down from earlier and hurled it at Reborn. What came next was a set of very creative curses as the man continued trying to hit the hitman with an assortment of dinnerware. Reborn had continued to explain the situation to Tanaka with calm amusement, as other did so.  
  
“Tsunayoshi is the only viable candidate now. Iemitsu—” There’s the snarl of rage, “—is the leader of CEDEF—” dodge, “—and that responsibility—” duck, “—means he’s incapable of taking on the mantle—” lean, “—of Vongola Decimo." Reborn is mildly impressed with the aim Tanaka presents. The man is nowhere near a level to even remotely graze Reborn, but some lower mafioso’s might actually have some trouble dodging. He can already feel little plans unfurling in his mind on how to sharpen that aim into something deadly, making it useful for the Decimo’s famiglia.

He watches and waits as Tanaka pants, leaning against the counter, with glass and ceramic littering the kitchen floor. There’s even a fork deeply embedded into a wall. _Nice_.

“You mean... to tell me... that _son-of-bitch_ has been alive this whole time and _furthermore_ , is the boss of a crime syndicate—”  
“CEDEF.”  
“—which is apparently more important than his own family!?”  
“Obviously~”

Silence.

“... You’re a hitman... you said you’re the greatest... _What would it cost to kill that bastard_.”

Reborn grips the brim of his fedora, debating on what, out of the two answers that pop into his mind, he wants to say. One of them will endear him to Tanaka, which will help him get closer to his soon-to-be-student... the other would make it more difficult but less likely to get Reborn branded a traitor.  
  
“ _Honestly?_ Right now I’d do it for free.” He’s still beyond pissed at how wrong this entire job’s file had been, at the sheer incompetence that was shown so he’ll indulge Tanaka. The man stares at him and if the twitch of his lips, and curl of sparks in him, is any indication... then Reborn made the right choice.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto slumps into one of the kitchen chairs, leaning his head onto the cold wood of the dining table. It’s blessedly silent, the Not-A-Baby—Reborn having gone quiet after telling him all of _that_. Yuuto appreciates it as his head is spinning and he feels vaguely nauseous right now.

Finally, after his headache has receded some, Yuuto stands and leaves the kitchen. He ignores the soft pitter-patter of feet behind him as he enters his bedroom and then ignores the tiny figure that lays down on the _other side of his fucking bed too_. If he ignores it, it’ll go away.

He’s just starting to drift off, mind having convinced himself that he imagined the events of tonight and that there isn’t something right behind him on his bed, when that tiny and childish voice pipes up and shatters the silence.

“You do know that killing him isn’t actually an option.”  
“ _Please stop talking._ ”  
  
Click. Bang.  
  
“STOP SHOOTING MY FUCKING WALLS! AND _GET OUT OF MY BEDROOM!_ ”

 

* * *

 

When Tsuna returns home after school the next day and walks into the kitchen, he drops his backpack with a loud thud and stares at the disaster in front of him with mute shock. There is a broken dinnerware all over the floor, a fork embedded into the plaster of one of the walls and... are those _bullet holes?_  Panic starts rising in Tsuna’s chest and he turns on his heel, mouth already opening to call for his uncle only to run right into the man.  
  
“ _HIEEEE!_ ” He squeals and falls to the floor. His uncle stares down at him with some of the biggest eye bags Tsuna’s seen on him in a while. “Y-Yuut—”  
  
“ _Ciaossu~_ ”  
  
Tsuna’s eyes snap past the tired form of his uncle to the _thing_ that walks into view from behind the man. Tsuna stares, his mind not quite comprehending what he sees. It looks like... but that’s... the teenager opens his mouth finally and, “... _is that a baby?_ ”

His uncle makes a strangled, hysterical noise and rubs his temples.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of this was focused on Yuuto and his thoughts and feelings, to set up for Reborn coming to Namimori, but future writing would focus more on Tsuna and his friends POV, I think? I'm not entirely sure.
> 
> Uhhh, some notes.  
> \- Yuuto will replace Lambo as the lightning guardian because it has ALWAYS bothered me that a five year old was expected to take such a serious position that often requires fighting, sometimes to the death.  
> \- Lambo would still show up though and become a part of the family. I love that lil cow child too much to take him out.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsuna's friends are catching a clue. Reborn encounters something that sets him on edge and Yuuto wishes the hitman would stop trying to kill his nephew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooooow, another chapter. I didn't think I would get to writing more for this verse so soon since I was planning on focusing more on the KHR/KKSS crossover but... the writing bug has bit me for this.
> 
> The rough draft for this chapter was actually quite a bit different but I realized it didn't flow well, and I had to rearrange a lot of stuff.  
> I wasn't sure how long to make this chapter as I have a rough outline of everything up too and just a little past the Kokuyo arc, but I've made my cut off mark to thirty pages for how long a single chapter can be. (I use google docs to write)
> 
> Anyways, still setting things up, but the end does get the ball rolling on some plot stuff and hints at future things.

The atmosphere at the kitchen table is awkward and Tsuna doesn’t feel like eating anything as he keeps alternating between quick glances to his uncle, who is staring at the wall blankly, to the baby sitting just across from the adult. “... uhm, what’s...” He begins and swallows, throat dry. Tsuna has no idea what to say, he doesn’t even know what’s going on. His uncle blinks rapidly at the sound of his voice, finally looking at him before the man's gaze slides to the baby-in-a-suit.

Tsuna can’t place the expression on Yuuto's face.

“... Tsuna... this is Reborn. Reborn, this is my nephew, Tsuna.”  
“ _Ciaossu~_ I’m the World’s Greatest Hitman.”

Tsuna stares at the baby and then over to his uncle, who is quiet again and looking at the ceiling now, mouth set in a frown. “Uhm... w-what?” He stammers, brain trying to process what was just said. Something tells him that what he's about to say is false somehow, which makes zero sense. "But... you’re a baby...” Slips from his lips and the hairs on the back of his neck rise, a weak alarm sounding in the back of Tsuna's mind as he flings himself from his chair. Just in time too, as a gunshot rips through the air and impacts the wall directly behind where he had just sat.

“ _Goddammit, not the wall again_...” He hears his uncle whisper and Tsuna eyes the Definitely-Not-A-Baby with mute horror. That was a real bullet, from a _real gun!_ He can see it in the baby’s tiny hand, grip firm and steady. _How was a baby able to fire a gun? Where had he even gotten it? Why is it green?_

“Tsuna... he isn’t a baby.” The gun shines in the light of the kitchen as it’s aim swings to his uncle. “You’re obviously not an actual baby, Reborn. Trying to ignore that elephant in the room is insulting to everyone.” Tsuna wonders if Yuuto has a death wish because that gun does not move from its current position, and he swears he sees the trigger _tighten_ just a fraction.

“You ruined my fun.” The baby finally says, his gun transforming into a— _a chameleon!?_ Tsuna gives up on trying to understand what’s happening. His uncle, clearly, already has. “W-what’s going on?” He asks and, using the edge of the table to lift himself from the floor, Tsuna rights his chair then cautiously sits back down. His uncle has crossed his arms and glanced away, chewing his bottom lip, and Tsuna already knows he’s not going to like whatever answer he’s about to get.

“I’m here to train you to be the next boss of the Mafia famiglia, Vongola. _Congratulations._ ” The smirk that accompanies that sentence on the baby's chubby face is mildly disturbing.

“ _WHAT?!_ ”

 

* * *

 

An hour later and Tsuna wishes he had listened to the feeling that told him to just stay at Takeshi's over the weekend. The explanation from Reborn, _who really wasn't a baby but instead an honest-to-god hitman_ , had made his head spin. He was related to the Mafia family... the main branch of a powerful one at that. “And... this is all happening because of my f-father?” He asks after a moment, hands clenching in his lap as he stares at the chart, _an actual chart_ , that Reborn pulled out of nowhere.

“Yes, your father’s side of the family are the direct descendants of the Primo of Vongola.” The tiny hitman says and taps at a part of the family tree printed on the chart. His uncle huffs something derogatory under his breath at Reborn’s answer and Tsuna, not for the first time, wishes that his father had been someone else... he avoids looking at Yuuto when that thought filters through his mind.

“I-I refuse.” Tsuna mutters and Reborn stares at him from across the table, quietly. He can feel the hairs on his neck rise again as the baby hitman continues to stare, but the gun does not make a reappearance. “You can’t.” Reborn tells him flatly after a moment, and Tsuna opens his mouth to protest. “ _You cannot refuse_. Not unless you want yourself and those closest to you to suffer.” Reborn cuts him off before he even begins and he slumps back in his chair as the hitman adds, “The Vongola, at large, know you exist now... it’s only a matter of time before other famiglias do as well.”

“Why should that matter?” Yuuto chimes in, only to click his mouth shut at the look Reborn fixes him with. Something in Tsuna whispers that his uncle already knows the answer, just doesn’t want to acknowledge it. “The other famiglias will hunt him down regardless of if Tsuna becomes involved with the mafia or not in your lifetimes. He, and those he cares about, will not be safe as he is now.” Reborn answers his uncle’s question, clearly intended to be for Tsuna's benefit, and he can feel the truth in the hitman’s words.

"Why not find someone else then? Someone who isn't a kid and _my nephew?_ " Yuuto says, hands clenched so tight where they're crossed on his arms that the knuckles go white.

"There is no one else. All the other heirs are dead."

“... w-what do I do?” Tsuna speaks up with a shaky voice before his uncle can say anything else. What does he do about this? Is there anything he can do? He's not even fourteen yet! He can't handle this, there's no way he could... could take on a criminal organization!

“Let me train you.” Reborn says, black eyes fixed on him intently and Tsuna stares back a little wide eyed. He wants to ask why, if that will really make a difference. All the other heirs are dead and surely they had training before too, _right?_ His uncle is quiet next to him, expression twisted into a frown again when Tsuna looks to the adult for advice because he doesn't know how to proceed. Does he accept? Does he refuse? Can he refuse even with what Reborn told them? What if—what if his uncle leaves him because of this? Doesn't want to be his family anymore?

“... I can’t make this decision for you, Tsuna...” Yuuto says with a shake of his head. “ _But_... whatever you choose, I’ll support you the best I can.” Warmth fills Tsuna at these words and he feels something rise up in him, chasing away the panicky thoughts he was having. Of course Yuuto wouldn't leave him! His uncle isn't that kind of person.

Tsuna's fists clench in his lap and he looks down, mind racing. He has to make a choice and whatever he chooses will not only affect him, but everyone in his life. Does he run from this? Reborn didn't say he would force Tsuna, but something in the back of his mind says that the hitman _would_. So... he can't run... and if he did— Tsuna's mind settles, a calm passing over him. If he can’t run from this because it will put those he cares about in danger... then he’ll get strong enough to protect them from it instead.

Looking up, Tsuna catches Reborn's gaze and keeps it as he gulps, throat dry and as calm as he can manage says “I-I accept.”

Tsuna doesn’t notice the satisfied gleam radiating from Reborn’s aura, or how his uncle stares at him with confusion, at the orange glow that tints the usual brown of his eyes.

 

* * *

 

A squeal and bang echoes loudly through the apartment. It’s become a common set of sounds since his nephew accepted Reborn’s offer, not that the teen had much of a choice in the first place, and Yuuto rubs his temples. Only two weeks and the amount of chaos the hitman has created is daunting. Yuuto's had too race Reborn to wake his nephew up nearly every day after he discovered how the tiny hitman was wanting to wake the boy. Who tries to wake someone by bashing their skull in?!

Sighing, he sets the plate of pancakes down in the middle of the table, just in time too as Tsuna comes stumbling into the kitchen and dressed for school with Reborn at his heels.

“G-good morning...” His nephew squeaks and slumps into a chair, forehead immediately meeting the surface of the table. “Morning, Tsuna... _Reborn_...” Yuuto replies, shooting the hitman a glare. His nephew is exhausted and the reason is currently perched at the table, plate of buttery pancakes in front of him. He knows that the hitman has been keeping Tsuna up well past the time he should have gone to bed, going over the Mafia and this Vongola family. Yuuto's pretty sure he's going to need to start working from home if he wants his nephew to ever get a decent night's sleep again.

“I’ll be accompanying you today, Tanaka.” Reborn says to him and Tsuna immediately perks up in his seat as Yuuto blinks in surprise. “... _Why?_ ” He questions, eyeing the hitman cautiously. Reborn so far hasn't interacted with him much of his own volition and Yuuto's been much the same. He's still having trouble wrapping his mind around the whole baby thing and anytime they do interact, it's when Yuuto catches the hitman doing something violent or cruel to Tsuna.

“Does that mean there won’t be any lessons tonight, Reborn?” His nephew suddenly interjects, hope rising in his eyes.

“Yes, but don’t think I won’t be watching somehow, Tsunayoshi.” Reborn sniffs and then adds, in a darker tone, “ _I’ll know if you get lazy at school_.” Tsuna ‘hies’ and slumps even further into his seat, mumbling under his breath.

“... Right... you still didn’t answer why.” Yuuto repeats and crosses his arms, staring at Reborn who merely eats a bite of pancake instead of responding to him.

 

* * *

 

Reborn sits on Tanaka’s head, eyes tracing the people they pass as the man window shops. Reborn had been a bit surprised to find out that Tanaka had this kind of hobby in the first place, but to each their own. “How many of Tsuna’s previous teachers are still in your sights?” He suddenly questions and watches Tanaka glance up at him in the reflection of a shop’s window. If the man is surprised he knows about that, he doesn’t show it. Reborn's been curious since his research indicated that, a couple of years after Tanaka first went after the Board of Education for the treatment of his nephew, a couple of teachers suddenly lost their jobs. Reborn had discovered it was because of blackmail. Specifically, blackmail from the man he's currently sitting on the head of.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Tanaka drawls and immediately winces as Reborn yanks on his hair. "Don’t lie, it’s a nasty habit. What if your nephew cauches it from you?” He chides mockingly. “ _Owow—_  stop it!” Tanaka hisses out and the yanks pause as the man glares at Reborn’s reflection. “Why does it matter? They won’t do anything if they’re smart.” Tanaka mutters and Reborn hums, then finally lets go of the lock of hair in his grasp.

“You should always dispose of the enemies to your boss completely, Tanaka.” He says and the man stares at him dubiously before shrugging, “If they try anything, I already have fail-safes in place.” The man tacks on a, “ _And don’t call my nephew, my boss_.” under his breath.

Reborn gets ready to say something, wanting to needle at the man that Tsuna _will_ be his boss, when he feels an itch crawl along his back. Someone is staring at him.

“ _Yuuto?_ ”

 

* * *

 

Misumi watches the baby perched on her friend’s head. The little tyke is wearing a suit and matching fedora, it's kind of cute. “When did you adopt another kid?” She jokes when Yuuto turns to face her and the expression she gets is one part exasperation, one part annoyance. “He appeared in my kitchen to steal my coffee one night.” Yuuto deadpans in reply. Misumi can't tell if he's joking, his tone is so flat and expression even flatter.

“ _Ciaossu~_ ” The suit-baby chimes and Misumi finds herself looking at the child more closely, feeling a chill rise up her spine as their gazes meet. The baby’s eyes are too aware, _too old_ , for his face. “Ci...ciaossu?” She murmurs aloud, rolling the word on her tongue, trying to ignore how she suddenly feels like she's being dissected by those black eyes. The word sounds foreign, Spanish? No, but maybe close to that? “Well... what’s his name?” She asks and the baby responds instead of Yuuto, “My name is Reborn, ma’am~”

Now Misumi is outright staring. That was, _surprisingly_ , well articulated for what looks to be at least a year old baby boy. “Yuuto...” She begins, unable to ignore it anymore, and the her friend sighs.

“ _I know_ , just— just go with it. I can't explain it, I don’t even want to know how to explain it.” Yuuto looks tired as he says this.

“R-right... well, uhm— would you like to get coffee?” Misumi asks, tucking away the information to pick apart later. Yuuto is always forthcoming with what he thinks, the fact that he doesn’t know... or isn’t willing to explain, is concerning. She won't question her friend right now though, he looks too tired... too uncomfortable, and the baby's stare on her had sharpened at her questioning tone.

Yuuto shakes his head lightly, careful to not jostle the child on his head, “No thanks, Misu— _AH!_ ” He flinches and Misumi catches sight of the baby’s hands gripping brown hair tightly. “We’d _love_ too, ma’am~” Reborn singsongs, and the smile that graces that chubby face makes her feel even more uncomfortable.

There is something very, very _odd_ about this fedora wearing baby... and Misumi's not entirely sure she wants to know what it is.

 

* * *

 

It had taken a bit of arguing, and a dark stare, before Reborn was given an espresso at the café the woman led Yuuto and himself too. But finally, he had it in his hands and it was delicious. He’d have to come back to this place at a later date.

Currently, Reborn watches Tanaka and the woman, Misumi, engage in a silent conversation. He can follow what's going on and he’s sure that Tanaka has realized he can understand them. The man’s assumption that he could read minds was adorable and Reborn has every intention of furthering that assumption. Truthfully it's just that he's incredibly good at reading body language... but the idea that he can read minds is just so entertaining. He can't  _wait_ for his student to start thinking the same thing.

“ _Are you okay?_ ”  
“ _I’m fine_.”  
“ _Tsuna?_ ”  
“ _Also fine_.”  
“ _And the baby?_ ”  
“ _Ignore it_. _Not worth it_.”

That’s what Reborn has summarized of what's been passing between the other two and he wonders about their closeness. The name Misumi is familiar... hadn’t she— oh yes, he remembered now. Sato Misumi was the social worker that headed the Sawada-Tanaka case. The case had closed a few years ago, the trial period for Tanaka and his nephew having run its course. Obviously, the man had been deemed fit to keep his guardianship of Tsunayoshi in the end.

Did she keep in contact with Tanaka and his nephew? Or was this a coincidental meet-on-the-streets, where you recognized a familiar face and caught up with each other? Reborn doesn't believe it is... not with how the two are able to have a silent conversation like this.

He had briefly sensed the woman's flames earlier and felt a flutter of clouds from her dormant core, but it's very fragile. A weak core, which means it'd take a lot of training to awaken and strengthen them, to make her flames useful and Reborn has already pegged Sato as someone who wouldn't be able to easily accept what's going on if she learned the truth. She should be kept in the dark. Besides, his student already has a very strong candidate for his Cloud guardian.

Almost thirty minutes later, Sato suddenly glances down at her phone and stands. “ _Oh!_ I’ve got to get going. Call me later, Yuuto!” The woman says rapidly, gathering her purse up. “And, _uhm_... goodbye, Reborn…” She adds, eyes skittering over him nervously. He smiles politely at her, watching Sato glance over her shoulder towards the table as she leaves. The fact that she caught onto him being wrong so quickly, just like Tanaka, means he'll need to be wary of what he does around her.

Tanaka waves a goodbye the woman's way and drinks the last of the chocolate-and-peppermint latte he ordered. _The very chocolaty latte_. Reborn likes chocolate just as much as the next person, but the amount he can smell coming from Tanaka's is ridiculous. “Is she your girlfriend?” He asks after a moment. He already knows the answer is a no, but watching Tanaka splutter as the man gathers his backpack up is amusing. The close familiarity between Tanaka and Sato speaks of a close friendship or even family bond more so than a budding romance.

Reborn launches himself up Tanaka once the man is standing and takes his perch back on the other's head, fingers curling around strands of brown hair. “ _You know_ , Tsuna could use a mother figure in his life~ Why not her?” He smirks, wanting to tease the man, and Tanaka goes red as the man spits out, “No... just... _no_.”

 

* * *

 

“Hey, Tsuna!”

The boy in question turns, catching sight of his friend waving and jogging towards him. “Takesh—” He calls back only for a louder voice to drown him out.

“GOOD MORNING TO THE EXTREME, TSUNA!” Ryohei appears around the corner Takeshi had come from moments later, with a sunny grin on his face per usual.

“M-morning, Ryohei...” Tsuna stutters, ears ringing from how loudly the other teen shouted. Ryohei wasn’t even by him, yet the volume of the other boy’s voice carried over enough to rattle his bones. “Wow, Tsuna... you look beat...” Takeshi says with surprise once he’s close enough and Tsuna sighs, shoulders slumping. Reborn is a slave driver and so far they've only done stuff he's struggling with in school and history lessons on the Mafia! Tsuna shudders at the thought of whenever he'll be made to start doing anything that requires physical exertion. He's not the most athletic person around.

“ _Ah-hahaha_... yeah. Just, _uh_... studying a lot!” He tries but judging by the look Takeshi and Ryohei share, they don’t believe him for second... even if it is the truth. Tsuna may be doing okay in school, but he’s not a model student and avoids studying whenever he can unless it actually interests him. His uncle and friends are the biggest reason he’s got the grades he has now, since they push him to do his work.

“Tsuna... are you okay?” Takeshi asks but just then a school bell chimes, not too far off in the distance. “ _Oh god_... we’re gonna be late!” Tsuna gasps, eyes wide and Ryohei starts sprinting immediately, yelling back at them to catch up to the extreme.

Tsuna takes off after the other teenager, Takeshi following behind with laughter.

 

* * *

 

As soon as the three boys pass the threshold a shadow descends onto them. “Little Animal, what have I told you about being late.” Kyouya says in monotone before fixing Takeshi and Ryohei with a glare. “ _And you two_...” The prefect begins darkly, tonfas sliding into his hands and knuckles going white as he grips them tightly.

“Haha, morning Hibari! We don’t have time for this, do we?” Takeshi laughs, scratching the back of his head as he eyes the tonfas with a smile and narrowed eyes. Ryohei, meanwhile, makes an excited noise at seeing the weapons. “ARE WE GOING TO EXTREMELY BATTLE, KYOUY— _HRK!_ ” The exuberant teen doubles over, a tonfa buried in his gut as Kyouya stands over him and stares with a disdainful expression.

“You do not have permission to say my first name, _herbivore_.” The prefect grunts and Tsuna makes a vague distressed noise. “H-he was just excited to see you, K-Kyouya! C-can we go? We’ll be more late if we wait here any longer...” Tsuna trails off when the other teen’s head snaps towards him and a chill races down his spine as they stare at each other. That weird little alarm system in the back of his head isn’t ringing... so he must be safe... right?

“ _Hnn_... mother wants to meet you, and the carnivores.” Kyouya mutters, tonfas sliding out of view as he steps away from Ryohei, who is wheezing under his breath about ‘extreme strength’ and ‘fight me’

“M-mother? Carnivores?” Tsuna squeaks out. The alarm, in the back of his head, is starting to chime softly but can’t seem to make up its mind whether he’s actually in danger. “Your uncle... and a baby. I’ll bite you to death if you’re _late_.” Is all Kyouya offers as the prefect walks off, disappearing into the school.

“Your uncle has a baby?” Takeshi curiously asks after a moment of silence.  
“KYOUYA EXTREMELY CALLS YOUR UNCLE A CARNIVO—” A tonfa comes flying out of nowhere, smacking Ryohei in the forehead and cutting the teenager off.

 

* * *

 

Cautiously, Tsuna opens the front door and pokes his head inside. His uncle's shoes are by the door, so he’s home, which means... _Reborn is home_. Gaze doing a sweep of what he can see inside the apartment, Tsuna steps inside and begins slipping out of his shoes. So far nothing has jumped out of the shadows to scare him into an early grave, so maybe Reborn isn’t here right now?

“Tsuna, is that you?” Yuuto calls out from somewhere in the back of the apartment. “Y-yeah! I’m hom-- _HIEEEEE!_ ” Tsuna squeals and nearly falls over his feet as Reborn materializes from above him, _like a ghost_ , and smacks him on the head with a rubber mallet. “ _STOP TERRORIZING MY NEPHEW, REBORN!_ ” He hears his uncle yell down the hall, who emerges moments later with a scowl directed at hitman.

“He was late. A Mafioso, especially a boss, should never be late.” Reborn responds with a mocking undertone. Tsuna wants to roll his eyes but refrains due to Reborn being right next to him. He'd been only an hour late getting home from school! It's not his fault Mr. Nezu is a crotchety old man and had him clean the classroom at the end of the day. At least Takeshi stayed to help him get it done faster. Ryohei couldn't due to his obligations in the boxing club and no one wanted to bother Kyouya, especially not over cleaning a classroom.

“He’s not a Mafioso or boss yet, _Reborn_.” Frustration peeks in his uncle's voice. Tsunahas become used to hearing it directed at Reborn since it seems to be Yuuto's default tone when concerning anything the hitman does or says.

“Practice makes perfect.” Reborn says flippantly, dismissing Tsuna's uncle with a flick of his head and Yuuto rolls his eyes as he crosses his arms, shaking his head. “ _Whatever_... how was school today, Tsuna?” His uncle asks, smiling over at him. “U-Uh... it was good... I was a little late tho—” Tsuna preemptively flinches away from Reborn when the tiny hitman moves, but relaxes when all the Reborn does is adjust his fedora. “—though.”

“Did Hibari give you any trouble?” His uncle asks, brows furrowing. Tsuna knows that Yuuto is wary of his friendship with the older boy, mainly because of how violent Kyouya can be, but his uncle has never tried to dictate who he can and cannot be friends with. Tsuna has always been grateful for it because he likes Kyouya. Sure, the older boy is violent, strange and a bit of a loner, but he's a good friend in Tsuna's eyes.

“N-no... _not to me at least_...” Tsuna adds the last part under his breath. Kyouya and Ryohei’s friendship is by far the most violent out of everyone's and he’s always vaguely concerned that, one day, Kyouya is going to snap and strangle Ryohei. Especially when the boxing teen insists on using the prefect's first name all the time.

“Well, that’s good.” Yuuto replies, having not caught what Tsuna mumbled under his breath but Reborn clearly did, if the hitman’s gaze is any indication. His uncle starts heading to the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, “You hungry? What would you like for dinner?” and Tsuna’s head snaps up as the mention of dinner suddenly reminds him of something. “ _Oh!_ Kyouya’s mother invited us to dinner!” He says quickly and Yuuto pauses in the doorway of the kitchen, glancing over his shoulder with a surprised expression.

“Really? _Huh_...”

“She, uh... she invited Reborn too?” Tsuna adds more hesitantly, causing both his uncle and the hitman to stare at him. “ _What—_ ” Yuuto begins and turns a glare onto Reborn. “—Why would Hibari's mother know about _you?_ ” His uncle questions Reborn with an accusatory tone. Tsuna is curious about this himself actually. He's never even met Kyouya's mother in all the times he's been to the other boy's home, which honestly hasn't been that many times, he's not even sure what the woman does as a job other than she has to do with the city council or something. How _does_ she know about Reborn? What does she know?

Reborn merely grips the brim of his fedora and says, with a smile, “When’s the invitation?” to Tsuna.

“A-a week from now, I think?”

 

* * *

 

Reborn searches for information on Hibari Kyouya’s mother that night. What he finds is sparse, in a way that sets alarm bells ringing in his mind. The woman, named Asuka, is apparently very private which isn’t a surprise as most of the Hibari clan is, but the lack of information on her is too clean. _Too polished_.

Reborn pushes it from his mind when he runs out of available leads. He’ll have to be on guard when they go to that dinner. Something about Hibari Asuka isn’t sitting right with him. He hates unknown variables.

 

* * *

 

It’s been barely thirty minutes since his nephew headed to school when the apartment door suddenly ruptures inwards and the teenager comes charging, in his boxers, into the living room. His is head on fire. “What the fu—” Yuuto’s cut off as something feels like it snaps into place inside him, nearly making his knees give out at the sudden warmth and sense of rightness and belonging that spreads through his chest.

His arms automatically come up to catch the form of Tsuna when his nephew makes a beeline for him, and nearly knocks them both to the ground as the teenager slams into Yuuto. Tsuna’s arms wrap around his waist, tightening to nearly unbearable levels around him as the teen muffles a yell against his chest, “I DON’T CARE THAT YOU’RE MY UNCLE! I’VE THOUGHT OF YOU AS MY DAD FOR YEARS NOW!”  
  
“ _PLEASE BE MY DAD!_ ”  
  
His nephew passes out in his arms, the fire on his forehead fizzling into nothing and the weird warmth completely disappears as it does so. A moment later Reborn appears through the open front door.  
  
“ _What the fuck just happened._ ” Yuuto questions with wide eyes as he holds Tsuna upright.

 

* * *

 

He feels antsy at Tsuna not being in his line of sight right now and a very large part of Yuuto wants to go back into the boy’s room, where he’s still passed out, and just stay in there until his nephew wakes up. But he has important questions to be asking right now.

“Explain.” Yuuto demands, staring at Reborn as they sit on the couch, facing each other. “Tsunayoshi used his dying will to confess one of his deepest regrets.” The hitman says in that childish voice of his. “That’s not an explanation, Reborn. What was that fire on his head?” Reborn says nothing to his question and suddenly holds out a tiny hand towards him. Yuuto stares at it in confusion. Why is Reborn holding his hand out? How is that supposed to explain anything?  
  
“... What am I supposed to do with that?”  
“ _Watch._ ”  
  
A gasps leaves Yuuto as golden light flares up and spills from Reborn’s hand in wisps that fade out into the air. “What... _what is that?!_ ” He whispers, gaze transfixed to it. It's like a fire, but only in shades of yellows. No oranges or reds dancing in it's hues at all. “These are sun flames. They’re my flame type.” Reborn says with a smug tone, black eyes watching him and not the fire. “What... what do they do? What are they? Do they burn?” Yuuto starts asking rapidly, glancing to the hitmans’s face and then back to the glowing fire. He feels like he should probably be freaking out about the Reborn's hand being on fire, but instead he just feels curiosity.  
  
“They can. All flames have the potential to burn.” Reborn replies, holding his hand up higher for Yuuto to get a closer look and adds, "Sun flames are just one of seven types." Yuuto's curiosity rises even more at this. There are seven of these? "Types of what? What are they called?"  
  
“They're called the Flames of Sky. Each type is capable of something unique compared to the other." Reborn begins.

"Storm flames, usually a bright or slightly dark red in color and the most outwardly offensive flame type there is. They can disintegrate and decay whatever they touch. A Storm could erase something, or someone, down to the molecular layer depending on how powerful they are. Storms are usually frontline fighters because of this. Rain flames are a bright blue. They’re known for being peacekeepers due to the flames pacification attribute, soothing others emotionally as well as physically. A Rain’s flame could put someone to sleep, permanently, if they aren’t on guard.”

Reborn pauses, silently asking if Yuuto has questions but he just shakes his head, prompting the hitman to continue.  
  
“Cloud flames are a light purple in color. Their ability for propagation means they can duplicate and change the size of just about anything. The stronger the flames, the amount of what they can duplicate and change the size of at a time increases. Very few Clouds are capable of keeping something duplicated or size changed for longer than a few weeks. Mist’s are known for illusions and their flames are indigo in color. The flames can construct just about anything from themselves, as long as the user has the imagination for it. The stronger the Mist, the more solid their illusions.”

Illusions? The ability to duplicate things endlessly? This was sounding more like various superpowers than anything to do with fire.  
  
“Lightning flames are an electric, sometimes vaguely cyan, green color. They're capable of hardening to a solid state stronger than steel, and yes, lightning flames can act just like electricity. Many people have been electrocuted by a pissed off Lightning with a solid bolt of flames before.”

Something restless stirs deep in Yuuto's chest at the description of these flames.  
  
“Sun flames have a yellow or slightly golden color. They’re most commonly used for healing due to their capacity to augment and enhance physical attributes, but it’s not impossible to kill with them. After all, enhancing another person’s cell regeneration past optimal levels could induce rapid growth inside the target and cause them to explode, literally.” Reborn says, a dark smirk curling his lips and Yuuto quickly leans back from the golden light at the description of sun flames. He sometimes forgets that Reborn claims to be a trained killer, the World’s Greatest Hitman in fact, and he’s inclined to be on the safe and wary side concerning that. Not to mention Reborn has an unnervingly accurate aim with a gun, and he’s stronger than what a baby body should be capable of. Yuuto is unsure of just how strong though... could it be because of the hitman's flames? Enhancing his own strength, maybe?

“That’s just six, what’s the seventh?” Yuuto asks, remembering that Reborn mentioned there are supposed seven of these flame types. So far everything has been related to the weather, so what's next? Snow? Hail?  
  
“Sky flames. Propulsion is their offensive attribute, the stronger ones capable of achieving flight through the use of it. The most important feature of a Sky is their ability of harmony, to bring balance. All other flames seek out a Sky, for a Sky means having a place to belong. Elements that have found their Sky are called guardians.”  
  
“What's a guardian?”  
  
Reborn tilts his fedora back, “Guardians are elements that have bonded with a Sky, chosen that one as their home, and a guardian bond is a symbiotic relationship. A Sky with guardians will always be stronger than a Sky without, the same goes for guardians and non-guardian elements.”

 

* * *

 

Reborn watches Tanaka’s face as the man still gazes at the flicker of sun flames in his palm, but the wonder has been replaced with a thoughtful frown. “Tsuna is a Sky, isn’t he? The flame on his forehead was orange, and Sky was the only one you didn’t give the color for.” Tanaka says, tearing his eyes from the yellow fire. So he had caught onto that.

He’s a bit surprised that the man is sitting here and questioning him, instead of hovering around his nephew. New guardians tend to be clingy to their Sky for the first few days, or sometimes weeks, after a bond forms. Some can even turn aggressive to unknowns being in their personal spaces or around their Sky. But considering that this guardian bond between nephew and uncle has been years in the making, it makes sense that Tanaka would be this calm. His flames have had years to be prepared for when the final thread of the bond would snap into place. Not to mention that the seal on Tsunayoshi has muted the guardian bond quite a bit, which is probably also playing a factor in Tanaka's tame reactions despite the bond being complete now.

“Yes. Tsunayoshi is a Sky.” Reborn says, pulling his sun flames back. The yellow fire fades away, curling back under his skin, and Tanaka watches in fascination as it does so.   
“... And I take it that you’re going to train Tsuna? Help him gather these guardians because of the mafia?” The man asks after a moment and he says nothing in response. Tanaka’s face turns shrewd at the lack of an answer, “... Tsuna already has some, doesn’t he.”  
  
“Yes. He has four so far.” Reborn ticks off on his fingers and Tanaka's face turns even more shrewd. He knows what the other is going to ask.  
  
“Who are they?”  
“Yamamoto is the Rain, Sasagawa the Sun and Hibari the Cloud.” He responds, watching Tanaka's fists clench as the man hisses out, “They’re _children!_ ”  
  
“So is your nephew.” It goes quiet at his flat retort and Tanaka bites into his bottom lip, guilt shining in the other's eyes. There is nothing the man can do to get his nephew away from the Mafia now, not unless he wants Tsunayoshi to be hunted down all his life without anyways to defend himself. Tanaka straightens, and Reborn feels a slight smirk rise as he reads the man's body language. The final question is about to be asked, and it's the one he's been waiting for.  
  
“You didn’t mention who the fourth guardian is.” Tanaka starts and Reborn says nothing once again. “Reborn... who's the fourth?” He stares at the man silently and Tanaka stares right back before a lightbulb goes off behind the other's eyes. “No... no, no, no. I do not have these flame things. I think I would know if I had _superpowers._ ” Tanaka starts to deny and Reborn rolls his eyes.  
  
“Everyone has them, some just aren’t awa—” Reborn bristles as he's cut off by the man's sarcastic retort of, “Really, Reborn? Everyone has special fire powers?” Tanaka snorts and Reborn tenses, flames coiling in him. He lunges forward across the couch, hand outstretched and Tanaka can’t avoid him, senses and body not trained to dodge someone as fast as he is. His palm brushes the man’s bare arm for just a brief moment, sun flames pushing past skin and going down until they just _barely_ tug against the sparks in the man’s core.

Green fire flares to life across Tanaka, arcing out defensively and Reborn tilts his head just a fraction to avoid the fiery bolt that aims for his face. The flames have fairly sharp reflexes already, which is a good sign. Tanaka shouts in surprise, stumbling from the couch and nearly falling over. The man's eyes are wide, mouth agape in speechless shock, one hand covering where he had touched the other as Tanaka stares at him.  
  
“ _See?_ ” Reborn says with smug amusement, watching lightning flames dance along the man’s arms.

 

* * *

 

“W-what did you do?!” Yuuto exclaims, surprise and shock overriding the bristling irritation that sparked inside when Reborn did whatever he did. His heart is in his throat as he stares at his arms like they might bite him. The flashes of green fiery light have already receded under his skin, but Yuuto can feel them still. It's like someone suddenly ripped a blindfold from his eyes because the sensation isn't unfamiliar, he just never noticed it was there until now.  
  
“Gave you a little push.” Reborn replies and Yuuto clenches his fists, thoughts racing.

“... I’m one of Tsuna’s guardians...” He says as Yuuto stares down at his hands and focuses along the edges of the static in his chest. He's not really asking it as a question, as Yuuto already knows it's true the moment he voices it aloud. “His Lightning.” Reborn replies with a nod and continues, “Your core has been near to awakening for years due to being around an awakened Sky, even one crippled and muted like Tsunayoshi, but it wasn't fully there until just now. You’ll need to train and meditate quite a bit before you can do anything useful with them though.”

"Useful?" Yuuto questions and Reborn nods his head again, "Flames are like a muscle, you have to train them up to use them to any sort of a useful degree. What just happened moments ago was an instinctive reaction. Your flames are feeling a bit defensive, due to the bond fully forming with Tsunayoshi, and didn’t like mine touching them. It’s actually a very tame reaction considering that most new guardians would have tried to gut me for doing that."  
  
“R-right... wait, did you say Tsuna was crippled?!” Yuuto shouts just as his nephew emerges from his bedroom, rubbing sleep from his eyes.  
  
“Y-Yuuto... why are you shouting? How did I get back home?”

 

* * *

  

“... And I’m a Sky?” He repeats, voice still faintly in the middle of disbelief and childish wonder over having been shown Reborn's flames earlier. “ _Yes_ , for the sixth time.” Reborn sighs in response, pinching the bridge of his nose.  
  
“And Yuuto is my lightning guar—”  
“ _Tsunayoshi_.”  
“Hiiee... okay, sorry.”

“T-this is just... a lot to take in...” He murmurs and slumps against his uncle on the couch, who tangles an arm over his shoulder and pulls him closer. He has superpowers, so does his uncle... and so could his friends. How is this his life? “You said Tsuna’s have been awake or whatever for years and that they’re _crippled_ , Reborn.” Yuuto implores, fishing for an answer, and Tsuna sit's up a little straighter. His superpowers are crippled? What's the point of having them then!?  
  
“When Tsunayoshi was around five, his father came to visit him along with the current boss of the Vongola.” Reborn begins and glares at Tsuna when he suddenly interrupts with a gasped, “... I remember that! But I don't remember any fire powe—”  
  
“Don’t interrupt me, Tsunayoshi.” The hitman utters and he shrinks back against his uncle with a stuttered, “ _S-sorry..._ ”  
  
“I wasn’t told what, exactly, occurred during that visit. But before they left, your core awakened and they placed a seal on you, blocking you from accessing or feeling them.” Reborn continues. “That sounds bad...” Tsuna murmurs as Yuuto remains quiet by his side, listening intently to Reborn.  
  
“It was the only thing they thought of at the time. Sky’s are coveted by the underworld, and it would have brought all eyes on you the moment word got out that a civilian and unattached Sky was discovered... young Sky's are far more vulnerable to forceful guardian bonding.”  
  
“And, let me guess, Iemitsu didn’t want to bother with actually doing something to protect his family? So he just, what... locked a part of Tsuna away? Is that why for the first few years he started living with me he was so clumsy and had a hard time with school?” Yuuto growls and Tsuna turns that over in his mind. Could that be a reason? He knows he was better at school, better at physical activity, before his sixth birthday. He's heard his uncle remark on it before, about how teachers noticed Tsuna's grades and coordination suddenly drop. Everyone, including himself, thought it was due to the trauma of his mother's death... but what if there was more to it than that?  
  
“The effects of sealing the flames of a child so young, especially a Sky, have never been fully tested but I would say that played a large part in Tsunayoshi’s stunted growth and physical coordination when he was younger. Possibly worsening the budding dyslexia he had too.” His uncle makes a low sound in the back of his throat at Reborn's answer, crossing his arms tightly. The hitman continues, “And, from what I was told and gathered, it seems it was Nono’s decision to seal his flames. But Iemitsu didn’t try to fight it.” Reborn sounds vaguely offended when he mentions Tsuna's father not having fought that decision but Tsuna isn't at all surprised Iemitsu didn’t apparently fight it. He’s long since given up on believing that his real father actually cares about him.  
  
“S-so... why can I use it now? Why is Yuuto my guardian but only now? I’ve lived with him since I was six...” Tsuna questions quickly before his uncle can ask anything else that will anger the adult. “The seal has been degrading for years, but it wasn’t degraded enough for you to actually complete the bond with your uncle until today. And you can’t use your flames completely, not yet. That's where I come in.” Reborn replies.  
  
"Did you get rid of the seal?" Reborn shakes his head at Yuuto's question. "No, but my method will make it degrade faster than it would on it's own. But, until the seal is gone completely, he'll have a hard time feeling or even using his flames for long periods of time."  
  
“So the thing this morning had something to do with making it weaker?” His uncle inquires and Reborn nods, smugly saying, “I helped him find his dying will~” Tsuna couldn’t actually remember what all occurred this morning but those words jog something in his memories. Hadn't Reborn said something about dying will to him on the way to school? He wracks his brain, trying to remember, and slowly the memories rise.  
  
“W-wait! I was on my way to school and ran into Kyoko...” Tsuna begins, brow furrowing as he tries to sort through the fuzzy memories starting to filter in. “R-Reborn asked me if I liked her and I said no, not like that. S-she’s Ryohei’s little sister... liking her would be _weird._ ” It'd be beyond weird.  
  
“He seemed convinced I did like her, o-or just wouldn't take my no for an answer, and asked me that if I died today I would regret not confessing. B-but... I didn’t want to confess to Kyoko, I didn’t like her like that. But his words... i-if I died today... what would I regre—” Tsuna goes red as he remembers what the regret was. Not telling his uncle that he thinks of him as his dad and has for years now. He casts a quick glance to Yuuto’s face and the adult shifts in awkwardly, mind connecting the dots to what Tsuna’s outburst this morning meant. Clearing his throat, desperate to move on and not open that can of worms right now, Tsuna continues. “Then... t-there was a bang and I was falling, and Reborn said something about dying will and— _YOU SHOT ME?!_ ” His head snaps up, face pale as the memories all rush back.  
  
Reborn had shot him!  
  
“ _What._ ” His uncle’s voice is faint next to him, and the man has gone completely still.  
  
“The bullet wouldn’t have killed you, Tsuna. Not unless you didn’t have any regrets.” Reborn points out flippantly. Alarm bells screech in the back of his mind and Tsuna leans away from his uncle just as static bursts from his skin.  
  
“ **What do you mean he shot you.** ”

 

* * *

 

“ _YOU SHOT HIM!?_ WHAT THE FU—”  
“Language.”  
“Don’t you language me, you little shit. _You SHOT! MY NEPHEW!_ ”  
  
Tsuna presses himself further into the couch, trying to make himself smaller as his eyes ping-pong between his uncle and Reborn. “It wouldn’t have killed hi—” Reborn starts but Yuuto cuts him off, “ _LIKE THAT MAKES IT ANY BETTER?!_ ”  
  
“The dying will bullets are specially suited to breaking seals placed on flame cores, _quickly_. It had to be done.” The hitman grits out and Tsuna eeps softly. Reborn is getting angry now too and the atmosphere in the room grows heavier. “I don’t care if they’re bullets that have been blessed by the Pope, himself! _You shot him!_ ” His uncle shouts, eyes glowing faintly green. “And I’ll do it again.” Reborn snaps angrily and Yuuto goes still, voice flat as he says, “Excuse me. What did you say...”

“I will shoot him again until that seal is gone.”  
“Really.”  
“Yes.”  
“Reborn... I will only say this once. If I find that you’ve shot _my kid_ again, I don’t care with what magic bullets, _I will find a way to kill you._ ”  
“Is that a threat.”  
“ _It’s a promise._ ”  
  
His uncle turns on his heel, striding down the hall to his bedroom and slams the door behind him as the man disappears inside it. Reborn grips the brim of his fedora, mouth in a tight line as the hitman stares darkly in that direction. It's silent and Tsuna can't bring himself to move from where he's pressed himself into the couch. “Uhm... R-Rebo--” Tsuna tries after a moment, unable to take the silence anymore, but a growled “ **Quiet.** ”, stops him from saying anything else.  
  
He eyes Reborn with fright and doesn’t stop the tiny hitman when he disappears into the kitchen and, once Tsuna's sure that neither his uncle or Reborn are going to move from where they went, flees to his bedroom.

 

* * *

 

“Find another way.”  
  
Reborn glances up from his Leon-laptop to the owner of the voice. Tanaka is leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen, gaze resting on him. The man seems calm, his flames quiet to Reborn’s senses, which is a mild surprise considering what occurred nearly an hour ago.

Tanaka walks further in to take a seat across the table when Reborn keeps quiet and only watches the other from under the brim of his fedora. “You know... I could kill you, at any moment, and you wouldn’t be able to _stop me._ ” He finally speaks, tapping Leon to shift back to normal form. Tanaka follows the chameleon’s path back up to his hat before meeting his eyes. They stare at each other in silence, and Reborn wonders if the other is going to actually say anything else.

“Yeah... I’m aware of that.” Tanaka mutters finally. “And yet you threatened me so willfully.” Reborn's reply is flat and the man snorts, a rueful grin crossing his lips. It makes Reborn bristle. Is Tanaka not taking him seriously?  
  
“I’m a stubborn bastard, Reborn. You _shot_ my kid, of course I wasn’t going to just accept that.”  
“I had it under control, _Tanaka._ ”  
“Yuuto.”  
  
Reborn blinks at the man, surprised. Did he just offer his name? After what happened in the living room?

“I think, if we can threaten to kill each other and still live under the same roof, then we’re on a first name basis. Don’t you think so?” The man says, slight grin still on his face.   
Silence stretches between them before he stands up, sighing, “You’re supposed to be the greatest for a reason, _right?_ ” Reborn sees the challenge being issued to him in the other’s eyes.  
  
“Find another way, Reborn.”  
  
“... fine.” He murmurs into the silence of the kitchen after Yuuto leaves.

 

* * *

 

Takeshi stares balefully at his teacher, even if his lips are quirked in a smile. Mr. Nezu is the worst and it’s not just because the man seems to have a vendetta against Tsuna. For years Mr. Nezu has been docking Takeshi’s grades because he once, just once, spoke out against the teacher’s behavior of his friend and some other classmates. It’s not enough to knock Takeshi from his standing as one of the A+ students at school, but it’s enough to cause stress for his dad, which causes stress for Takeshi and he really doesn’t want to be stressed lately.

He’s felt something restless settling into his bones ever since Tsuna started showing up to school looking more and more exhausted. It got worse just a few days ago, the same day that it was rumored his friend was seen streaking around in his boxers.

Ryohei and him had tried to get answers from their friend, but to no avail. Tsuna just wouldn’t budge and dodged all their attempts to ask questions. Sighing, he stares out the classroom window and starts counting the cars he can see moving by on the road, just past the school walls.

 

* * *

 

“ _Did you hear?_ ”  
“ _A new student!_ ”  
“ _I saw him! He’s so handsome!_ ”  
“ _I heard he’s from Italy!_ ”

Tsuna slumps at his desk. All day he has heard excited whispers about a transfer student coming to their school. From _Italy_. His intuition whispers in the back of his mind that it wasn’t a coincidence and Tsuna has, since Reborn arrived, been listening to that whisper more and more often. Especially now that he knows what it is.

 

* * *

 

“Uhm, R-Reborn? Sometimes I get this... little whisper or feeling in the back of my mind. It seems to warn me of danger or things that aren’t right. It’s gotten stronger over the years too. Is that a part of m-my flames?”

“... Vongola intuition, an ability of the Primo's bloodline. I would listen to it if I were you.”

 

* * *

 

His intuition is still on edge and it’s not because of the surprise attack Reborn had inflicted on him this morning. “ _A boss must always be ready for an attack_.” Is what the hitman said when Tsuna had complained, and then smacked him with a Leon-slipper.

Tsuna is absently picking at the wood of his desk when the whisper suddenly smooths over him, urging him to pay attention. “Class, today we’ll be getting a transfer student, a Gokudera Hayato. He’s come all the way from Italy so let’s show him some hospitality” Mr. Nezu says and Tsuna wants to sneer. That man wouldn’t know hospitality even if it killed him. His eyes snap over to the classroom door as the whisper’s urging grows louder, and not a moment later it’s kicked open.

A silver-haired teen, with the most sullen expression Tsuna has ever seen in his life, slouches into the room with hands in his pockets. Tsuna shrinks in his chair some, the guy looks _mean_.

“Gokudera! Welcome to our classroom. I’m your teacher, Mr. Nezu... please, go take a seat in one of the free desks. We’ll choose a more permanent place for you after class.” Mr. Nezu says, friendly smile on his face and Tsuna just barely smothers the urge to roll his eyes at the teacher. “ _Tch._  Whatever.” Gokudera grunts and walks towards the back of the classroom.

 _Oh no_... _please don’t_... _no, no, go the other way!_  Tsuna starts thinking as the other teen gets closer and closer to where he’s sitting. He knows there is a free desk right behind him. Gokudera pauses at his and Tsuna glances up, freezing in place at the frosty glare he’s on the receiving end of. He opens his mouth, to say what he doesn’t know, when Gokudera suddenly kicks his leg out and knocks the desk, and Tsuna, over.

“ _HIIEEE!_ ”

 

* * *

 

Some kid is glaring at him but Hayato ignores it, his attention on the fluff-haired civilian sitting in front of him. When he had been contacted by the Sun Arcobaleno to do a job, Hayato thought he might have died. People like him weren’t on the radar of people like the World's Greatest Hitman. Now he was here to test the apparent Vongola heir.

 _He is not impressed_. The kid looks completely harmless and way too soft to be the future don of the strongest Mafia famiglia in the world. If this is what Hayato has to test...  _well_ , he hopes the Arcobaleno won't kill him slowly for getting rid of Sawada Tsunayoshi. Not that anyone would miss Hayato if he is killed.

 

* * *

 

Takeshi cannot stop glaring at the new transfer student. The guy is a complete jerk. All of class period he has stared at Tsuna with thinly veiled hostility, not to mention how the silver-haired teenager had kicked Tsuna’s desk over, _with Takeshi's friend still in it!_ As soon as the bell rings Takeshi is up, putting himself between Gokudera and Tsuna, fake smile affixed to his face. “Haha~ what an entrance you had there, _Hayato_.” He catches the annoyance in the other teen’s eyes at being referred to by his first name. _Good_.

“Piss off.” Gokudera sneers, trying to get around him but Takeshi shifts, blocking the other teen off.

“Haha, no really! It was pretty cool, especially when you _kicked over another student’s desk_.” Takeshi says around a grin that shows off more teeth than is generally considered normal. His tone is starting to push the boundaries of friendliness into barely-there hostility and Gokudera’s eyes narrow on him, catching the threat in his voice.

“ _Who the fuc—_ ”

“T-Takeshi! Let’s go, we’re gonna miss Ryohei!” Tsuna calls out from the classroom door and Takeshi spins on his heel, grin growing softer as he responds, “Right, right! Coming!” He quickly grabs his textbooks and glances over at Gokudera. “See you around, _Hayato_ ~” He doesn’t smile this time.

He sprints to the classroom door, looping an arm over his friend’s shoulders and ignoring the itch that crawls up his spine from Gokudera’s glare as they leave.

 

* * *

 

Tsuna heaves a sigh of relief as he slips through a door to the outside, leading into the back of the school grounds. Takeshi has been hovering over him since class this morning and it's been driving Tsuna up the walls. So what if the the new transfer student was mean to him? It didn’t mean that his friend had to watch him like a hawk! Even worse was that Takeshi got _Ryohei_ involved, and the boxer never did anything by halves. The boy’s sister had even been there and having Kyoko giggle as her brother babied him was the most embarrassing thing Tsuna has experienced in his short life so far, even more embarassing than the fact he ran around in his underwear in public that one time from those stupid bullets.

Finally having escaped both his friends is a miracle, and Tsuna slumps against the wall. He loves his friends, he really does, but this is why he hadn’t told them about Reborn... about the Mafia and flames. He doesn't even know where to begin explaining all of that and besides, telling his friends could put them in danger. No, it was better to just... not tell them anything.

Tsuna's just debating on going back inside when a voice speaks up from behind, and his intuition's needling in the back of his mind gets loud.

“ _Oi_. Decimo.”

_What?_

Tsuna turns around, his movements rigid, and stares at Gokudera Hayato. His intuition had been right. The transfer student from Italy couldn’t be a coincidence if he knew of _that_. “U-uh, h-hey— _AH!_ ” Tsuna yelps and jumps away as Gokudera suddenly throws something at him. “W-wha— _is that dynamite!?_ ” He gasps and stumbles back more, just in time to avoid the brunt of the explosion. Heat washes up his arms and Tsuna hisses in pain, falling to the ground.

“Tch! _You’re_ the future don of Vongola? Give me a break! You’re pathetic!” More dynamite is flung his way and Tsuna scrambles from them on his hands and feet. “S-STOP!” He cries out but that just seems to make the other teen irritated and toss a greater amount of dynamite directly at him.

“Tsunayoshi~ Gokudera~” A childish voice calls from above, in one of the trees clustered nearby.

“R-REBORN!”  
“Arcobaleno!”

“This is Smoking Bomb Hayato, I brought him over from Italy~” _Of course Reborn did_. “T-tell him to stop!” Tsuna wheezes, out of breath from fear.

“I can’t do that, Tsuna~” Why does that answer not surprise him at all?

“Oi, Arcobaleno. If I get rid of the kid... I’ll be the new candidate for Decimo, right?” Gokudera says, fingering another stick of dynamite as the teen glares at him. Tsuna's face pales as the implications catch up to him. Get rid of him? As in _kill him!?_  
“Perhaps, depends on your performance.” Reborn says, watching them both from up high.

“... good enough.”

“Wow, w-wait!” Tsuna’s pleas fall on deaf ears as Gokudera lunges for him, lit dynamite between the other's fingers. “CAN’T WE TALK ABOUT THIS?!” He squeals and jumps back, hands held up in front of him. The silver-haired teen snorts, “Like hell! No way can a civilian like you become a Mafia boss!”

“ _REBORN! HELP!_ ”  
“Use your flames, Tsuna~”  
“ _DIE DECIMO!_ "

 

* * *

 

Explosions wrack the earth beneath Tsuna and he’s been dodging for minutes now but he’s starting to tire. Does Gokudera’s supply of dynamite ever end? Tsuna yelps as he trips over his own feet, and he can see victory shine in Gokudera’s eyes as the teen approaches his tired form. He can’t pull on his flames, he doesn't know how. It's probably the stupid seal. He’s going to di—

“ _EXTREME!!_ ” Someone hurtles across the clearing.

 

* * *

 

Hayato nearly chokes on the cigarette in between his teeth, that he’s been using to light his dynamite, as a fist smashes into his stomach. “ _Hrk—_ ” He stumbles back, away from the newcomer, hand clutched over his gut. He has no idea who this person is but that punch was way too strong to not be from someone experienced with fighting to some degree.

“ _R-Ryohei?!_ ” Sawada squeaks from where he’s still on the ground. Ah, so this must be a bodyguard or something. No matter, Hayato will take him out too. “Tsuna! Takeshi and I have been EXTREMELY looking all over for you!” The bodyguard nearly shouts. “Is this guy bothering you to the EXTREME?”

Does this dude ever stop shouting?

“ _Shut_. _Up!_ ” Hayato snarls, yanking more dynamite out and lights them, preparing his strongest attack. It’s enough dynamite to blow a hole into the clearing. “TAKE THIS!” He shouts and goes to throw, only for his fingers to cramp and fumble around the sticks. They fall to the ground, all around him and the bodyguard.

“... **shit**.”

 

* * *

 

Tsuna watches in slow motion as the dynamite falls around Ryohei and Gokudera. He’s moving before he knows it, sound muted all around him. He can’t feel the burns along his arms or how the muscles in his legs protest.

All he can see or focus on is the burning wicks of the dynamite around the other two teenagers.

“ _NO!_ ” Sound rushes back as he fists one hand in the back of Ryohei’s shirt and reaches past his friend to yank on Gokudera’s collar with his other hand. Tsuna pulls from the well of strength his flames give him as they roar to life past the seal for a brief moment, and flies backwards. Tsuna manages to drag both Ryohei, Gokudera and himself to safety in the few seconds that remain before all the dynamite ignite at the same time.

A crater explodes into the ground.

 

* * *

 

Reborn’s gaze sweeps across Tsuna, Sasagawa and Gokudera. Luring one of his student’s future guardians and friends to this fight had been a brilliant idea. The overwhelming urge to save his friend had ignited Tsuna’s flames without a single use of a dying will bullet. It had only lasted for a moment, but it proved it was possible for the teen to pull his flames past the seal consciously without the bullet, something Reborn wasn’t sure would be possible with just how much of the seal is still there.

The art of flame sealing is tricky and can be wildly different depending on who did the sealing, when the sealing was done and what flame type the person the seal is on has.

Reborn knows that he's still got a lot of work to do on breaking that seal down to where Tsuna can pull all of his flames instead of a trickle at a time, as what he pulled to save his friend and Gokudera was very small and far too brief. The seal would degrade faster with dying will bullets... but he was issued a challenge and he will not fail it.

_Reborn doesn't do failure._

 

* * *

 

His ears ring and he can't feel half his body, but maybe that's because he's being crushed by Gokudera currently.

Someone groans from under him and Tsuna suddenly sitst upright, Gokudera making a muffled, pained grunt at the movement. “ _R-Ryohei?!_ ” Tsuna croaks out, twisting around to stare at the teenager sprawled under him. His friend seems dazed but smiles up at him, one hand lifting in a thumb’s up. “Extreme s-save, Tsuna!” Ryohei coughs out, lungs protesting after being flattened under the smaller teenager. Feeling relieved that his friend is okay, Tsuna turns his attention to Gokudera, who was staring up at him.

“Uhm... G-Gokudera? A-are you hurt?” He asks, gaze flitting over the other with worry. The silver-haired teen was the one closest to the blast zone in the end. Gokudera blinks slowly at him then suddenly goes rigid, scrambling back from Tsuna and bowing, forehead touching the ground.

“ _FORGIVE ME, BOSS!_ ”  
“... huh?”  
“I was wrong! You are worthy of being Decimo!”

Tsuna can only stare in blank and confused shock as Gokudera lifts his head, tears at the corner of his eyes. _Why was he crying!?_ “I-I’ll gladly accept you, tenth! I am yours to command!” The other teen says, something worshipful in Gokuderi's gaze and tone. “... what.” Tsuna asks flatly, eyes almost bugging out of his skull. Command? He doesn't want to command him! He doesn't want to command anyone!

“The loser serves the winner. It’s the code of the underworld, Tsuna~” Comes Reborn’s childish voice as the tiny hitman floats down from the tree, Leon transformed into a large balloon.

“B-but—”

“ _Tsuna! Ryohei!_ ”

 

* * *

 

Takeshi stumbles out the doors, eyes fixed on the crater that is currently in the ground and his friends on the floor near it. He runs over, just in time to hear a baby talk about losers, winners and underworlds. “Tsuna! Ryohei!” He calls out again, skidding to a stop next to them and ignoring the bowed form of the jerk, Gokudera. “T-Takeshi!” Tsuna blinks up at him, surprise in his voice. There are light burns littered along Tsuna’s arms and his clothes are singed. Takeshi swears he sees an orange glow in his friend’s eyes, but it’s gone in the next blink.

“ _Wao~_ ” Sounds from behind him and Takeshi shifts just slightly, putting himself in front of Ryohei and Tsuna as someone comes up behind him. Hibari is unpredictable, who knows how the prefect is going to react to the crater in the middle of his territory. Takeshi knows that it must be Gokudera's fault, but Hibari can have a one-track mind when it comes to stuff on Namimori Middle's grounds.

“Ah, good. You’re all here~” The baby-in-a-suit starts, and Takeshi sees Tsuna jolt in place.  
“Reborn, no—”  
“I think they deserve to know, don’t they, Tsunayoshi?”  
Is this it? Is Takeshi finally going to get answers to what's been going on with his friend?

“What does the baby EXTREMELY mean by that?” Ryohei shouts, sitting up from where he was still sprawled out next to Tsuna. Hibari looms behind Takeshi, the prefect's eyes fixed with a predator’s intensity on the suit-wearing baby. “Hah, you can tell us, Tsuna... we’re your friends.” Takeshi encourages, shooting Tsuna a smile when the smaller teen glances over at him and Hibari.

“I... I—”

“ _Hey!_ Leave the tenth alone, you bastard!” Takeshi glances over at Gokudera with surprise. He had completely forgotten the jerk was there. “Haha, tenth?” He chuckles and smiles down at his smaller friend again, “Tsuna, what does he mean?”

“I’m... I’m next in line to become a-a—” Tsuna can’t seem to get out the words and Takeshi finds his eyes sliding to the suspicious baby. “Tsunayoshi is the future boss of a Mafia famiglia, the Vongola. I’m his tutor~”

“Reborn!” Tsuna whines, covering his face. “ _Ididn’twantthemtoknow_.” Can just barely be heard. “They’re to be your guardians, the sooner they know, the sooner they become useful.” Tsuna makes a screeching noise low in his throat at what the baby says.

Mafia? Boss? Guardians? Takeshi stares blankly for a moment before a lightbulb goes off in his head. “Oh... is this a game?” He asks, even if his instincts yell at him that it’s not.  
“ _A GAME?!_ Are you an idiot!?” Gokudera screeches and storms over, pressing into his space and poking him in the chest. “You doubt the tenth?! I’ll show you!” The guy starts reaching for his pockets and Takeshi tenses. Something tells him that whatever Gokudera pulls out will be dangerous. The other teen did somehow make a giant crater appear in the middle of the school grounds.

But then Hibari is there with a growl, yanking Takeshi back and getting in front of him. Silver flashes and one of the prefect's signature tonfa's almost smashes Gokudera's face in which makes the silver-haired teen lean back, stumbling on shaky legs as he still reaches for whatever is in his pockets and jacket.

“ _I’ll bite you to death_.” Hibari hisses and Gokudera sneers, “The hell is that supposed to mean?!”

Before a fight can break out, Tsuna yells, “ **STOP!** ” and everyone freezes. It hadn’t been a request, but a command. It’s the first time Takeshi has ever heard Tsuna use a tone like that and the restlessness inside him had instantly heeded it.

“Please... no fighting... I-I’ll explain.”

 

* * *

 

Over an hour later, Tsuna has explained, with help from Reborn, what’s going on. He tells his friends of the Mafia, what role he’s being made to take, and that Reborn is here to train him. The part about how it’s all his father’s fault makes his friends, even Gokudera, bristle protectively. He leaves out the magical flames, that would take demonstrations and he doesn't think showing off superpowers in the schoolyard where anyone could see them is a good idea. His intuition seems to agree with that heavily. Not to mention it would have to be Reborn who demonstrates the flames since Tsuna has no idea how he pulled up his own earlier, and the hitman had disappeared after the bulk of the explanation was done. What a jerk.

As Tsuna says goodbye, it’s Ryohei that pulls him in close and whispers, so uncharacteristic for the boxer, “If these Mafia people mess with you, then they extremely mess with me. You’re not alone in this, Tsuna.”

Tears prick his eyes as he waves at the retreating form of Ryohei, who is excitedly shouting at Takeshi about the fight he missed.

Kyouya is next and the prefect stares at him for so long that a cold sweat starts breaking out on the back of his neck. “Little Animal,” Tsuna jolts. “Don’t forget my mother’s dinner invitation.” and then his violent friend is stalking off, leaving Tsuna with only Gokudera. Tsuna heads back into the school to grab his backpack so he can leave, and pauses halfway outside of the school grounds aafter he's gotten his things when he realizes that Gokudera has been following him the entire time. “Uhm... w-why are you following me?” Tsuna asks as he wrings his hands nervously and turns to face the other.

“I will follow you anywhere, tenth.” Gokudera says solemnly and Tsuna’s face blanches. “T-that’s not necessar—” Gokudera cuts him off. “You could be attacked at anytime and it's my job to protect you from harm, tenth.”

The two teens stare at each other for a long minute before Gokudera averts his eyes and mutters in a sheepish tone that he doesn’t remember how to get back to his motel. When Tsuna learns where the other boy is staying, _alone_ , he ends up dragging Gokudera back home with him.

_His uncle won’t even take him to that part of town!_

 

* * *

 

“WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!? BREAKING INTO THE TENTH’S HOME LIKE THIS!”

Tsuna freezes, toothbrush hanging from his mouth, when he hears Gokudera shout from the living room. Oh god, his uncle is home from work. He had been so focused on how he was going to approach Yuuto on letting Gokudera temporarily stay at their apartment, that he had completely forgotten to tell the other teen that he lived with his uncle.

“ _What are you doing in my home?!_ ” He hears his uncle’s voice, steady but getting louder and agitated. Something sparks in the back of his mind, and his intuition warns him that he needs to get out there now. Tsuna drops his toothbrush into the sink and sprints out of the bathroom. “ _IT’S OKAY!_ ” He yells, toothpaste foam around his mouth as he skids into the living room. “I BROUGHT HIM HERE, UNCLE!”

The teenager and adult are glaring at each other, the only thing separating them is the couch, and there is a stick of dynamite already in Gokudera's hand. Tsuna can see Yuuto relax at his words, it wouldn't be the first time he’s brought a friend over unannounced. It’s just been awhile since Tsuna made a new friend... only Gokudera isn't a friend. No, the other teen seems to be under the impression that Tsuna is his boss or something. He has no idea what to do about that and, for now, is ignoring it.

“ _U-uncle?_ ” He hears Gokudera whisper before the teen suddenly gives a deep bow and a shaky apology slipping from the teen as the dynamite stick disappears quickly back into the other's pockets. “I-I’m so sorry tenth’s uncle! I didn’t mean any disrespect!” It’s quiet in the living for a moment, the only sound being Gokudera’s panicked breathing.  
“H-he’s also my lightning guardian...” Tsuna mumbles but that just seems to make the other teen turn even more pale than he already was.

His uncle is eyeing Gokudera closely with a suspicious gaze. Yuuto catches him watching and clears his throat, tilting his head in a ‘come here’ gesture before disappearing into the kitchen. “U-uhm, excuse me! I’ll be right back... please make yourself at home.” Tsuna feels bad about leaving Gokudera alone when he’s so clearly distressed, but he needs to talk to his uncle.

 

* * *

 

“Who is that kid.” Yuuto grunts, staring out into what he can see of the living room with suspicion. When he had walked into the apartment and seen the teenager lounging on the couch, he had nearly thrown his laptop bag at the kid. “H-his name is Gokudera Hayato and I was hoping he c-could stay for a few days...” Tsuna squeaks, shuffling nervously in place, and Yuuto's gaze swivels to his nephew as he asks with arms crossed, “Where did he come from.”

The silver-haired teen's Japanese was good, but that's the thing. It's nearly textbook. No accent, no slang, nothing. A teenager not using slang is suspicious... not to mention that Yuuto is fairly certain he saw this Gokudera quickly hide a stick of _something_ when Tsuna told him who the other was. He's betting the kid isn't native to Japan at all.

“I brought him in from Italy~” Reborn pipes up and appears out of nowhere, causing his nephew to nearly jump out of his skin and Yuuto to flinch, fingers curling against his arms. “Why?” Yuuto questions, eyeing the tiny hitman. So, he was right. Kid is a foreigner and the fact that Reborn brought this Gokudera here doesn't actually surprise him. It seems exactly like something the hell baby would do.

Both Reborn and his nephew answer him, at the same time.

“He’s unaffiliated and has a potent well of storm flames. Even if he doesn’t become a guardian, he would make a good addition to the famiglia.”  
“ _ReborntoldhimthatifhekilledmehecouldbeDecimo!_ ”

The sound of water dripping in the sink is suddenly all that fills the silence that has descended on the kitchen.  
“Tsuna...”  
“Y-yes?”  
“Go entertain your new friend. We’ll be out in a moment.”

 

* * *

 

Hayato is so embarrassed. Sawada had invited him to his home, _him!_ And then Hayato had to go and stick his foot in his mouth by disrespecting the his boss’s uncle. Who is also the Lightning guardian! He didn't realize that the Vongola heir had already gained a guardian!

The tenth is currently sitting next to him, having come out of the kitchen a minute ago, and is eyeing him worriedly as Hayato chews on his nails out of anxiety. The shock of static that buzzes through the air from the kitchen and into the living room makes the dread coil even deeper in Hayato’s stomach. He screwed up and is most likely going to be sent away even though he has sworn his loyalty to Sawada. His boss's uncle could have the authority to do that if the man deems him a threat to Sawada. After all, the first guardian in a set is usually the right hand of their Sky.

“— _HAT DO YOU MEAN HE ALMOST GOT BLOWN UP?! REBORN, YO—_ ”  
“— _ound another way, Yuut—_ "  
“— _DIDN’T MEAN BY FINDING A NEW WAY TO KILL_ HI—"

Hayato really screwed up.

Minutes later, the tenth’s uncle walks back into the living, face set into a scowl. When the man stares straight at Hayato, he feels a chill go down his spine and gulps. Forget the Arcobaleno being scary, Sawda's uncle is making Hayato want to run with his metaphorical tail between his legs.

“Gokudera?”

He straightens nervously as he quickly replies, “Y-yes sir?!” and prays that he didn't fuck this up too badly.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto is practically swimming in his rage as he stomps into the living room and makes a beeline for Gokudera. Reborn dragged a teenager on false pretenses, all the way from Italy by himself, to a foreign country. _A teenager!_ And not only that, he had the teen fight his nephew! _With dynamite!_

The anger dies on Yuuto’s tongue as he stares down at the silver-haired teen. The boy can’t be much older than Tsuna and is looking up at him with anxiety-filled eyes, making Yuuto sigh and scrub a hand down his face. When did he start developing a weakness to children? “My name is Tanaka Yuuto... does anyone know you’re here?” He asks, softening his voice and expression. Gokudera doesn’t move or say anything for several seconds before giving a short, hesitant shake of his head.

That’s a no. _Great_.

“Alright. Where are you staying?” Yuuto asks and almost doesn’t catch the teen’s shaky reply. “You’re living _where?!_ ” He hisses out when Gokudera repeats himself.  _Reborn is so dead_.

The west side of Namimori isn’t the greatest and has the highest crime rate in the entire town. A teenager should not be living there, much less on his own. “Right... okay. Here’s what we’re going to do, Gokudera.”

He does have a spare room, might as well make it of some use until he can figure out what to do about this kid.

 

* * *

 

“No, Gokudera... y-you can’t come with us. The invitation is only for my uncle, Reborn and myself.” Tsuna repeats for what feels like the millionth time. Getting his uncle to agree to let Gokudera stay in their home while they weren’t there was hard, but the reminder that if he didn’t then the teen would be on the streets, or back in the west side of Namimori, worked like a charm.  
“B-but tenth—”  
“ _Tsuna_. Please, call me Tsuna.” He groans at hearing that word again. It’s been three days since the spare bedroom was set up for Gokudera, and everyday Tsuna has asked the other teen to call him by his name and not that stupid title.

“TSUNA! It’s time to go!” He hears his uncle call down the hall. “Coming! S-seriously Gokudera, don’t follow us!” He says to the other teen, gaze and tone pleading.  
“... _fine_.”  
“You swear?”  
“Yes, tenth! I swear!”

 

* * *

 

The Hibari clan was a known factor in the underworld but they kept to themselves, not interfering in most disputes and keeping neutral. It was why Sawada Iemitsu had placed his family in Namimori. Neutral ground was rare.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto stares at the Hibari’s home as he drives up a long, uphill driveway. It's a _manor_ , with a sprawling and pristine front yard all around the the estate. This is where that tonfa-wielding boy Tsuna befriended lives? He whistles lowly as he parks and everyone starts to get out, “Wow, Tsuna... your friend lives in a nice place.” Granted, that shouldn't be a surprise considering who the Hibari family is in Namimori.

His nephew nods with a slight shrug, “I-I’ve been a few of times, only to visit Miki though. I’ve never actually met Kyouya's mom...”

Giving a hum of acknowledgement, Yuuto walks up to the front doors with his hand raised to knock but the door opens before he can, and an elderly man on the other side stares out at them. “Welcome to the Hibari estate. You’ve been expected. Please follow me to the dining room, the Lady of the house will be with you shortly.” The butler says with a small bow and polite smile, gesturing them into the entrance hall.

Neither uncle or nephew notice Reborn stopping behind them, the elderly man signaling something to the Arcobaleno as they're ushered farther into the manor by the butler and towards the dining room.

 

* * *

 

Reborn watches Tsuna and Yuuto continue into the manor with slightly furrowed brows. The elderly butler had signaled to him, in a manner he recognized, to wait and listen. It had been a standard code used in the underworld often. The hitman grips the brim of his fedora, senses expanding past his body, but he finds nothing. _Nothing was a suspicious thing to find_.

The hairs on the back of Reborn’s neck rise suddenly, goosebumps trailing down his skin, and the shadows in the hallway to his right shift. His hand goes for Leon immediately, who has already shifted into a gun, and he aims into the dark as the click of the safety latch being undone echoes through the entrance hall. A moment passes before a woman emerges from the shadows. “Why couldn’t I sense you.” Reborn calls out, eyes narrowed on the woman and fingers clenching on his gun. His senses, especially his flames, are trained to near perfection and yet he can’t get anything off the figure in front of him.

The woman tilts her head and the hall is suddenly awash in mist flames. Reborn can feel the way they wrap around their user like a second skin, breathing in time with her. A mist, of course.  _Reborn hates mists_.

“Hello,—” Red lips smile at him from the pale-faced older woman, “-welcome to my home.” She says and walks calmly towards him, her flames prowling along the edges of the room. His own sharpen within, wary and ready to rise at the first sign of hostility. He's not scared of her. Reborn hasn't known fear in a long time, but he never got to where he's at by being headstrong. He knows that one day someone could get a lucky hit in.

“What do you want?” Reborn snaps out, eyes roving over her appearance and mind racing. She was clearly a Hibari and if this was her home... then she was the mother that invited them over for dinner. But the fact that she could hide her presence from _him_ , the strongest of the Arcobaleno, spoke of skill that took years in the underworld to hone. It both put him on edge but made him curious enough to not kill her immediately.

“Ah, the cursed carnivore doesn’t have all the cards, _does he?_ ” She murmurs, voice faraway and Reborn bristles. Not many were aware that the Arcobaleno was a curse and not just a fancy title. The woman tips her head forward in a deliberate motion, hair parting, and a delicate hand tugs the neckline of her yukata to the side. Though it's not much, he can make out just enough for it to be obvious what she's revealed. The tattooed marks of a blazing fire and spider lilies start to trail up the woman's skin in a very distinct pattern as the illusion of the mist flames that had been covering them fade. Reborn's seen this mark before. 

“ _Jorōgumo_.” He murmurs in surprise before narrowing his eyes further, wariness rising higher now that he knows what this threat could be. But Reborn still stays his hand. He will wait to see what she wants, what she does, before deciding if he should kill her.

Jorōgumo had been a name whispered about years ago, an assassin and informant. He remembers how one his fellow Arcobaleno, Mammon, had sulked for months when they couldn’t find anything on the identity of the assassin, nothing but a symbol. Not even Vongola had better luck concerning the elusive Jorōgumo. Any hits they contracted, or information they traded for, were done over a phone, voice modulators in place. Sometimes phones weren’t used and instead letters were exchanged through proxies. None who had seen Jorōgumo in the flesh were alive to tell the tale and all that had truly been known was the symbol that became associated with them. The same symbol Reborn can see peeking past the line of the woman's yukata and up her neck.

All signs of Jorōgumo had vanished nearly seventeen years ago and their legend passed into myth, the underworld moving on and quickly forgetting. Most assumed the assassin had finally met their end. The timing of the disappearance and the glaring resemblance to Hibari Kyouya pointed to her being Hibari Asuka, the woman he couldn't find information on.

“I haven’t been Jorōgumo in a long time,—” The woman replies placidly, watching him from under her lashes. “—I prefer  _Asuka_ , nowadays.” Her eyes glitter in amusement when his own flash at the confirmation of his theory. Not that he needed the confirmation, it's very obvious.

“I didn’t realize the spider of the underground was alive and well in Namimori, or that she had a child.” He says flatly, tracking the woman as she comes closer. She hums, “I’ve been here for many years now... you didn’t know? Didn’t Vongola tell you?” In a tone that suggests she already knows the answer. Was she implying? No. Reborn didn’t want to believe how clues were adding up in his mind, but it made sense.

“I thought Namimori was neutral territory.” His grip on his gun tightens as the mist flames in the room coil closer to them.

“Of course...  _to those who visit_.”

“The moment that Sawada Iemitsu chose to leave his family here, _permanently_ , they were no longer neutral. They belonged to Namimori from that moment on.” Mrs. Hibari begins, “And when Mrs. Sawada died, Namimori made sure that her child stayed _safe_.” She hisses, anger flashing in her eyes as she continues, “I’m sure you know what they did to that little boy... sealing a child's flames at such a young age... a Sky no less. They were deemed not fit to care for Tsunayoshi after that and so, Namimori kept the mother's death a secret from Vongola.”

“Then how did Tanaka Yuuto come into the picture?” Reborn prompts. If the Hibari’s, if this Mist, were powerful enough to successfully control the flow of information coming from Namimori and prevent Vongola or CEDEF from knowing for eight years that Sawada Nana had died, then how had Yuuto come to find out? Was it deliberate? Was Yuuto brought here?

“Someone needed to care for little Tsunayoshi... someone that would look at him and see family. Not a pawn or token in their game, but a _child_. Mr. Tanaka has proven himself worthy of that position many times since he was first brought here. Proven that he’s worthy of being a part of Namimori.” She murmurs and Reborn nods to himself. That's what he suspected.

“... I see...”  
“Do you really _?_ ”

Reborn ignores her comment and asks, “And what will Namimori do now that Vongola is coming for Tsunayoshi?”

“We will wait and we will watch.” Mrs. Hibari hums and the non-answer irritates him. “They’ll try and take Tsuna, separate him from his uncle. Force guardians on him that will prove to be incompatible.” He says and the woman laughs like a bell as she responds with, “But you won’t let that happen, _will you?"_

Reborn grows quiet, watching her from under the brim of his fedora, and the woman takes his continued silence as indication for her to go on, “You’ve seen the growing bonds he has with his friends, how all that needs to happen is for them to awaken and that seal to be weak enough. The one with his uncle has been in the works for years, and now that it's finally complete... a bond that old being broken could break the little Sky and his Lightning. ” She remarks.

“But what will _you_ do if it comes to that?” Reborn snaps back, testily. He hates that he’s been played like this, hates that she knows things she shouldn't. He should have connected the dots sooner that the lack of information Vongola had was not just due to incompetence. That someone was successfully tampering and had been for years. He especially hates that he's not going to kill her... because she's right and he agrees with her. If Vongola decides to try and break Tsunayoshi's bonds with his friends, the boy would most likely come out hurt but not irreparably damaged, but the bond with his uncle is far older. Breaking such an old bond, even when it has sat dormant for most of it's years and only recently completed, would be devastating.

Vongola was all too willing to seal a five-year old Sky, without care about what side effects might occur, just because the child had a stronger claim to the throne than Timoteo’s own sons. He knows that Tsunayoshi being so young played a part in sealing the boy's flames as well, but there have been cases of children awakening far too early. All it would have taken was placing someone experienced with flame cores to watch over the boy as he grew to make sure Tsunayoshi didn't accidentally kill himself by using his flames and draining them. Regardless, Reborn doesn't doubt that Vongola wouldn't be against breaking a bond as old as the one his student has with Yuuto if they thought it was detrimental... he's still working on how he's going to make sure Vongola doesn't do something like that when it's discovered.

The room grows colder and shadows crawl towards them both, making the area seem smaller, but Reborn doesn’t move. He knows it’s an illusion and he will not show weakness by flinching or tensing, not when it is _Jorōgumo_ who turns to look him in the eyes instead of Hibari Asuka. Painted lips are pulled into a smile that speaks of cruelty, gaze languid and dangerous, the red symbol on the woman's neck standing out in stark contrast to pale skin. There was the predator that lurked under this disguise of domesticity.

“The Hibari's have watched over Namimori for generations. She is our mistress, and all of those that shelter in her roots are under our care, _Reborn_.” She begins in a silken tone.

“ ** _We protect our own_.** ”

 

* * *

 

“Where is the carnivore in baby skin?” Is the first thing Kyouya says when Tsuna and Yuuto are sat down in the dining room. Both uncle and nephew glance behind them, to the doors which are being shut by the butler. Reborn is not in the room. “ _Maybe_... _maybe he’s s-scoping the place out_... _or something?_ ” Tsuna whispers to his uncle when they look at each other. Reborn was a hitman, even if in a baby form... didn’t people like that scope out buildings? They usually did in movies.

“U-uh, sorry Kyouya. Maybe he had to go to the bathroom?” Tsuna offers aloud and his friend eyes him, clearly not believing a word he just said. “... I’ll go look for him. Can’t believe he ju—” His uncle starts moving just as the door to the dining room swings back open and a woman steps in. She’s dressed in a beautiful black-and-red yukata, patterned with cranes and tiger lilies with straight, black hair trailing over her shoulders. “I must apologize for keeping you waiting!” The lady says and bows at them.

His uncle sits back in his chair, “Ah, no, it’s alright! You must be Mrs. Hibari?”

“Yes... _Oh_ , where are my manners? My name is Hibari Asuka and you must be Tanaka Yuuto.” Mrs. Hibari says with a smile, approaching the dining table and Tsuna spots Reborn slink in behind her, the hitman’s black eyes narrowed on the woman’s back.

“Yes, it’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Hibari. This is my nephew, Tsun—”

“I know who he is! You’re the boy my Kyouya is so fond of!” Mrs. Hibari cuts his uncle off as she turns to him with a bright smile on her lips. She’s very pretty and Tsuna feels his face flush. He wonders if the father is just as good looking too. A thought suddenly occurs. Oh god, what if Kyouya's parents are _just like him?_

“Ah, uh... y-yeah! I’m Kyouya’s friend...” Tsuna nervously mumbles, hunching in on himself and Mrs. Hibari is quiet before a tiny little squeal leaves her, “You are just so _precious!_ No wonder my Kyouya calls you his little animal~” He can see his friend tensing from the corner of his eyes, the other teen's own cheeks flushing slightly. “ _Mother_.” Kyouya growls, one hand clenching around the chopsticks in his grasp while the other hand's nails dig into his palm. 

Tsuna feels the flush on his face spread and he’s sure he must look like a tomato right now.

 

* * *

 

 “So, Mr. Tanaka, what do you do for a living?” Asuka asks over dinner. “Hm? Oh, I’m a freelance business analyst and adviser.” The man replies politely to her. Asuka knows that Tanaka hadn’t started out that way. Sato Misumi may have gotten a desk job for the man when he first came to Namimori years ago, but as he proved himself, Asuka cleared the way for his new jobs when he finished his degree. She didn't give them to Tanaka, that wasn't her style, but she did dangle them in front of the man without anyone being aware of it. Every time Tanaka went after the next, Asuka just grew more and more amused at his tenacity.

She makes a thoughtful sound, “Oh, how _delightful_... those analytical skills must have been very useful with the preschool. I love that you still keep an eye on the teachers from back then too.” The dinner table goes silent and Asuka hides a growing smile against her sake cup. “H-how do you know about that...” Mr. Tanaka asks and she carefully watches how he glances to Reborn. Does he wonder if the hitman told her? Or is he looking to the hitman for guidance?

“My dear... I’m the Hibari matriarch and I'm on the City Council... _of course I know._  And may I say that I approve wholeheartedly? It’s refreshing to see someone take such good care of their child.”

The noise Tanaka makes at her referring to his nephew as his child, is highly entertaining.

 

* * *

 

" _H-hey_... _uhm, Kyouya?_ " Tsuna whispers to him as they eat and Kyouya regards the other silently, prompting his small friend to continue. "W-where's your father?" 

He glances to his mother, he knows she's listening. She's always listening but the fact that she doesn't glance at him tells Kyouya he can say what he wants. "Mother ate him." He whispers back without care, and watches Tsuna's eyes get big, mouth dropping open.

" _W-What?!_ "

"Mother's a black widow."

Tsuna's uncle chokes on his sake, and starts coughing into his dinner napkin. Kyouya must have said that louder than he thought. His mother's eyes flashing in amusement tells him that she enjoyed the reactions.

 

* * *

 

They’re getting ready to leave when Mrs. Hibari steps close to Yuuto, gesturing for the man to bend down to her level. Reborn watches him straighten moments later, staring at Mrs. Hibari with a furrowed brow before he follows his nephew out, expression changing into a thoughtful frown. Calmly, Reborn steps up to the Hibari matriarch, two predators side-by-side. “What did you tell him?” He asks after a moment.

“Mmm... that the spiders are always watching.” She replies, a laugh in her voice. It’s a half-truth at best, but Reborn knows he won’t get answers from the woman if he presses further. “Goodnight, Jorōgumo.” Reborn intones politely and Mrs. Hibari finally turns to look down at him, “Goodnight, Sun Arcobaleno.” She replies with a smile, her true nature tucked away under a mask of serenity.

He’s almost to the door when her voice carries back to him, “Oh, and Reborn?” He tilts his head, just enough to catch sight of her in the corner of his vision. She's watching him intently, looking for something. “When the time comes, what will you choose? The job... or their future?”

He stills.

“ _Remember_... _Namimori always protect it’s own_.”

The ‘you could be one of us’ is loud in his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Hibari Asuka is a badass and I love her. I've always thought that Kyouya's parents (or in this case just a mom) would be awesome.  
> \- I had to rewrite and rearrange the sections of Tsuna and Yuuto learning of flames so many times. I tell you guys it was difficult and I have a feeling that future sections on flames, flame use and how they interact with the world/people will be just as hard!  
> \- I love Ryohei??? Like, he's one of my favorites of Tsuna's guardians but every section I tried to write in his P.O.V just wasn't happening. So you guys get triple the dose of Takeshi P.O.V instead.  
> \- Only a small Kyouya P.O.V, I cannot figure out how to write his mindset but maybe in the future that will change.  
> Some parts of this chapter I adore and then other's I want to throw my hands up at, but if I try to work on this one anymore it'll just get longer! I've gotta move onto the next chapter and not waste more time on this one.
> 
> (I love questions! Feel free to ask!)


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A tiny cow appears and Misumi learns the shocking truth! A tree is murdered. Tsuna is faced with a disturbing question, and Gokudera learns how to use first names.
> 
> Oh yeah, and Reborn writes a letter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took longer to get through because I had to go re-write the Kokuyo arc for the fifth time, and then, while re-writing, I suddenly remembered "Oh shit, there are more arcs after the Varia one.".
> 
> I completely forgot about the Future Arc, I kid you not. I'm not sure if I'll do any of the arcs after the future one, since how it's been drafted makes one of them impossible (looking at you anime-exclusive Arcobaleno trails arc) but we'll see! Who knows, the future arc I've drafted might change by the time I get to Kokuyo or Varia.
> 
> I'm not to satisfied with this chapter, I feel like nothing very important happens or that I moved things along? I have a hard time with pacing, either I move through things too fast or go at a snails pace.

Yuuto glances over his shoulder to stare around behind him, gaze flitting back-and-forth across the store. This is the third time he’s felt like someone’s watching him but he can’t catch any sign of whoever it is. People wander about around him, as expected, but none of them are paying any attention to him as far as Yuuto can tell... maybe he’s just imagining things.

Sighing, Yuuto turns down an aisle and and starts walking down it, pushing the shopping cart. He’s out on a grocery run right now, as having two growing teenagers living with him, and Reborn, means that the refrigerator runs out of food very quickly. A grumble leaves him as he grabs the coffee brand, that’s on his list in Reborn’s handwriting, off a shelf and glares down at the box. The hitman is lucky that Yuuto makes the salary he does now; this shit is  _expensive_. If Reborn had come into his and Tsuna’s lives just a couple of years ago, Yuuto wouldn’t have been able to afford getting this brand of coffee so many times for the hitman. How can someone with such a small body go through so much coffee so quickly? it's got to be unhealthy...

Dropping the coffee box into the cart, Yuuto then wanders into another aisle and pauses as he stares at the multitude of different snacks along the shelves. What kind of snacks would Gokudera enjoy most? It’s been a week since he agreed to let the kid stay,  _temporarily_ , at the apartment and he’s no closer to finding a solution to that.

Gokudera is  _Mafia_. Yuuto can’t just turn him over to the police for social services to deal with. The teen probably has a criminal file on him that would get him arrested and shipped off to a facility, over being put into foster care.

Not to mention trying to interact with the kid is like pulling teeth. Did he scare Gokuedera that badly in the beginning?

Eyeing the different snacks, Yuuto wonders if maybe Gokudera is just nervous around him because he’s letting him stay at his home for free. The teenager probably thinks he’ll kick him out or something if he’s not on his best behavior. Throwing a few different bags of various snack brands into his cart, Yuuto pushes the weird feeling of being watched from his mind and continues his shopping.

He doesn’t notice the teen that peeks around the aisle to stare at him, scribbling something into a thin notebook.

 

* * *

 

Haru clutches the notepad to her chest as she watches the brown-haired man go about his grocery shopping. His cute baby isn’t with him today, much to her disappointment. Maybe the man’s other son is watching them? Or maybe the woman they were having coffee with that day at the café is?

 

* * *

 

“Gokudera.”  
“ _Idiot_.”

Tsuna glances back-and-forth between Takeshi and Gokudera as they all sit down to have lunch. Ever since his friend learned that Gokudera was living in his home, the teen has taken to hovering around Tsuna at school at all times and he's pretty sure Takeshi even skipped baseball practice, once, just to walk him home. The tension between Gokudera and Takeshi when his friend did that had been so thick you could have cut it with a knife.

“ _Ryohei!_ ” Everyone’s eyes turn to the teen, who just referred to himself in the third person, who is calmly sitting next to Tsuna with a bright grin. The tension breaks and relief washes through Tsuna at that, making him shoot the other a grateful look. “We should extremely hang out tonight!” Ryohei says with a decisive nod and Gokudera makes an offended noise, “Like the tenth would let you into his ho—”

Tsuna quickly cuts Gokudera off, “Oh, that’s probably a good idea. T-there’s some more things about the, uh... the s-stuff I told you guys about last week.” It’d be last minute, but his uncle won’t mind... he hopes. Takeshi laughs awkwardly and scratches the back of his head before saying, “Haha... ah, actually I need to help my dad with the restaurant today and tomorrow after school so... raincheck?”

The offended noise Gokudera makes this time sounds a bit like a cat.

“Oh, so now the tenth’s invitation isn’t good enou—”

“I-It’s okay! Maybe this weekend you guys can come over?” Tsuna quickly says. How many times is he going to have to cut Gokudera off? Takeshi’s smile turns even more sheepish in response, “Baseball game... I really can’t miss it.”

And there goes Gokudera again. “ _You are unbelievable!_ The tenth is trying to invite you to his home and you refuse for fucking baseball!?”

“Haha, I go to Tsuna’s house all the time. Besides, this game is an important one for this season, Gokudera~”  
“Don’t so casually use the tenth’s first name, you cretin!”  
“Heh. You’re funny when you get all angry. Your hair kinda does this octopus thing and stands on end!”  
“It does not! Y-you... _you baseball-idiot!_ ”  
“YOUR HAIR DOES EXTREMELY DO AN OCTOPUS THING, HAYATO!”

Gokudera’s snarl at Ryohei to not use his first name is like deja vu, only with less violent tonfa-wielding teens, less gut-punching and more swearing. Tsuna puts his face in his hands and sighs softly, he has really got to do something about Gokudera or he’ll be breaking up fights the other teen tries to start for the rest of his life. Probably.

His intuition seems to agree with that thought. _Awesome_.

 

* * *

 

He tumbles from the plane’s hold, rolling on the ground and skidding his knees. _Don’t cry_ , _don’t cry_ , _don’t cry_. With shaky and tiny legs the small figure pushes himself up and darts away from the plane, heading towards the rest of the airport and, ultimately, further into Namimori. He has an important mission to do, he can’t fail!

“Watch out, Reborn! The Great Lambo is here! _Gahahaha!_ ”

 

* * *

 

“Here’s your stupidly expensive coffee, Reborn. I’m not buying anymore for a month, so you better make it last.” Yuuto says as he drops a box of espresso onto the kitchen table, right in front of him. Reborn debates on shooting at the man for the comment and rough handling of his espresso, but a sneeze suddenly leaves him. Twice. Someone must be thinking about him.

It’s goes silent in the kitchen as Yuuto pauses in his task of sorting and putting away groceries and Reborn snaps out after a moment, “What.” at the way the other has started eyeing him. “Nothing... just didn’t realize you were capable of such mundane, mortal things as sneezi— _HEY!_ ” Yuuto cuts himself off as he ducks the gunshot and then says, “Why do you keep shooting my walls! Is this a thing with you? Because it’s not funny!”

Reborn ignores the man's ranting as Leon changes back into a chameleon from the magnum form to crawl back up onto his fedora, and heads to the coffee machine. Eventually, Yuuto is going to realize that he shoots the walls specifically for the man's reactions. They're entertaining and Reborn laments the fact that when the man learns he'll probably stop reacting to it.

 

* * *

 

 _Don’t cry_ , _don’t cry_ , _do—_  Lambo bursts into tears. He had no idea where he is or where he was supposed to go and the picture he had been given of his target, the Sun Arcobaleno, is crumpled in his small hands. Lambo sneezes into it then sniffles and pulls it from his face, staring down at the image of the hitman. He has to find the Arcobaleno! It's his mission!

Looking back up, determination in him, Lambo glances around his surroundings. The determination dies very suddenly in the child. All the streets look the same to him and he’s scared to ask the people walking around him for directions. Lambo's bottom lip starts to tremble as he glances around again, feeling smaller and smaller.

Another sob leaves the child. He wants to go home.

 

* * *

 

The sound of crying is what draws her attention as she leaves the store and Misumi looks around, and then down. There, bawling his little eyes out, is a small child in a cow-onesie. Glancing back-and-forth across the street, hoping to spot a parent or someone coming towards them for the child, Misumi bites the inside of her cheek. No one is any paying attention. “Are you alright?” She asks softly as she crouches down near the little boy.

He startles and blinks up at her, big tears running down his cheeks. “It’s okay, I’m sure whatever is wrong can be fixed...” She murmurs gently, making sure to seem non-threatening and move slowly. Working with children, often coming from bad homes, has made it a habit for her to present herself like this when interacting with a child she doesn’t know. “ _L-Lambo i-is lost!_ ” The cow-child wails and Misumi hides a wince at the sheer volume of his cry as the little boy continues, “L-Lambo has a mission b-but Lambo doesn’t know where h-he’s going, and n-now he’s lost and he’ll never find R-Reborn!”

 _Reborn?_ Misumi smiles at the little boy as she starts to say in a kind voice, “Well, Lambo. My name is Misumi, and I know where Reborn is. Is he your fri—” The child stops crying immediately and launches at her with a swiftness she wasn’t expecting.

“YOU WILL TAKE THE GREAT LAMBO TO REBORN!” He squeals, latching onto her leg and Misumi stares down at the child for a moment before gently trying to pry him off, “Uh, how about we go to the police station first? I’m sure your parents are looking all over for you—”

Lambo springs away from her suddenly, “The Great Lambo doesn’t need the police! He will a-a... assas-...” The child trails off, unable to pronounce whatever word he was thinking of and a second later, Lambo shakes his head rapidly then looks up at her, “Lambo doesn’t need to go to the police! His family knows he is here! Lambo must find Reborn!” The boy then points at her and once again exclaims, “You will take the Great Lambo to Reborn!”

Misumi stands up and smooths down her skirt as she says, “Well, I’ll only take you to Reborn if we go to the police station. They can help us find him sooner.” It’s a lie. She knows exactly where the weird fedora-baby is but this little boy is clearly lost and in need of his parents, and Lambo is clearly an _actual_ child. Misumi's still not sure what Reborn is but that one meeting at the  café was enough to convince her that he wasn’t what he appeared. She has worked with many children of young ages, including ones with incredibly high IQs, for several years and whatever Reborn may be doesn't even fall into the category of incredibly intelligent child... there's just something off and too old about the suit-wearing baby. She should probably talk to Yuuto about it soon, as it's been nearly two weeks since that day but it had genuinely slipped Misumi's mind to go question her friend.

Lambo squints at her, crosses his arms and whines, “No! I don’t wanna!” He even stomps his foot. Oh dear, Misumi knows what the beginnings of a temper tantrum looks like. “Okay then... I guess I can’t help you. Is there someone I can call to come and get you? You really shouldn’t be by yourself...” She trails off when she sees the little boy’s bottom lip tremble and not a second later he bursts into tears, “L-Lambo h-has to get R-Reborn! Then h-he can go h-home!”

Misumi sighs and says, “But we can only find Reborn if we go to the police station, Lambo...” She knows she’s being manipulative, but children require different approaches and she wants to find this little boy’s parents. Losing a child in the middle of the Namimori shopping district, _at rush hour_ , is a horrible thing. They should be more watchful of their own child. The little boy keeps crying and Misumi dives into her purse, hunting for some tissues. “Here, dry your tears, Lambo. There’s no need to cry! It’ll be alright,” She soothes and holds the tissues out to Lambo. The little boy eyes it for a moment before snatching it up, squishing his face to it and loudly blowing his nose.

“ _Y-you promise?_ ”  
“Huh?”

Lambo peeks at her past the tissue still pressed to his face and mumbles, “Y-you promise you’ll help L-Lambo find Reborn? I-if we go to the police s-station?” eyes big and glossy with unshed tears. Misumi smiles and says, “Yes, Lambo. I promise.” _Right after we find your parents and I give them a good talking too._  

The child cheers, pumping his fists into the air then holds his hands up at her, making the universal sign for 'pick me up' and demands, “You will carry the Great Lambo to the police station to get Reborn!”

Misumi can’t help but giggle as she bends down and picks him up, arms secured around him. “Of course, Great Lambo! We shall make haste!” She jokes, used to getting into characters for children.

 

* * *

 

“And then the Great Lambo snuck onto the plane and—”  
“You snuck onto a plane? That’s very daring...”  
“The Great Lambo is the most daring of anyone, ever!”

Asuka follows the woman and boy with her gaze. So, the cow-printed child was the little speck of Lightning her spiders had informed her landed in Namimori. Now that she was this close, she could tell the little boy was definitely Mafia. That hair and the cow-motif signaled the Bovino famiglia, most likely.  
But why a child? The child's core of lightning was strong but barely developed and dormant, and would stay that way until he was at an age when it'd be safer to awaken the child's core.

“—once the Great Lambo finds Reborn, he can defeat him and go home! Mama and Papa will give him all the candy!”

 _Defeat Reborn?_ A child defeat an Arcobaleno? Asuka nearly laughs at this before quickly sobering. There wasn't a chance in hell of an actual child killing Reborn, or even any of the other Arcobaleno.

“Well, we have to get to the police station first to contact your family, then we can find Reborn.”

Oh... now that won't do. Asuka has a feeling the little boy was sent here for a specific reason, beyond defeating Reborn which is highly ridiculous. It has to be a cover-story. No, Asuka believes the child was sent to be little Tsunayoshi’s lightning guardian. Vongola's already starting the political game by trying to force guardians onto the young Sky. Guardians that would tie other famiglia’s to Vongola. This child was the best they could do? ' _How quaint_...' She thinks with a curled lip.

Though the boy wouldn’t become the Lightning guardian, as that position was already taken, Asuka needs to make sure the kid makes it to Tsunayoshi. She doesn't need Vongola or CEDEF poking their nose into Namimori, trying to get the Bovino boy to the Sky, when the child gets detained at the police station because no records of him will be found in any databases. That would be a disaster and ruin everything she's been planning.

Plastering on a friendly smile, Asuka leaves where she had paused in her walk and steps towards the woman and little boy.

“Ms. Sato! How good to see you!”

 

* * *

 

“ _Mrs. Hibari!_ ” Misumi exclaims in surprise as the woman crosses the street towards her but quickly composes herself. Hibari Asuka is on the city council and one of the leading donors for many of the charity programs in town that Misumi takes part in. Not to mention the Hibari family was an old one in Namimori's history, their family were the founders of the town after all. Misumi feels the utmost respect for the other woman, even if they've only interacted a few times at some charity events.

“How are you, dear?” Mrs. Hibari greets once she's gotten closer and then blinks at the child in Misumi’s arms, “And who is this little boy?” Before Misumi can reply, Lambo squirms in her hold and yells, “ _Gahaha!_ I’m the Great Lambo!”

Mrs. Hibari laughs softly, “Oh my, how cute,” then looks at her with curiosity and asks, “Is he yours?”

Misumi splutters, “No, no! He’s lost and I was taking him to the polic—”

“The Great Lambo is here to defeat Reborn!” Lambo interrupts her again, puffing his chest out proudly. “Oh really? Well, then I shouldn’t keep you two here, hmm?” Mrs. Hibari smiles indulgently at the little boy and Misumi feels curiosity spike. Does the woman know of Reborn? Her curiosity grows and she's about to ask when something dark rises up and moves towards her out of her peripheral. A wave of dizziness crashes over Misumi and she staggers back as her legs feel weak suddenly.

“ _Ms. Sato?_ Are you okay?”  
“ _Hey! You nearly dropped Lambo!_ ”

Misumi tightens her arms around Lambo, eyes blinking rapidly as the dizziness fades and the strength returns to her legs. “I-I’m fine, I... Sorry, what were we talking about?” She can't remember... wasn’t she supposed to be going somewhere? “I think this young man was having you help him find someone, a friend? Named Reborn?” Mrs. Hibari says with a worried expression on her face and questions, “Are you sure you’re alright, Ms. Sato?” 

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern!” Misumi says quickly, voice reassuring and then adds, “Well, I better get him to his friend then.” Lambo whines loudly, “Reborn is _not_ Lambo’s friend! The Great Lambo is better than him!” in response.

“Right, right...” She mumbles and waves goodbye to Mrs. Hibari, who gives a quick goodbye to her as she starts to walk off. Time to go see Yuuto, he’d know where the fedora-baby was.

 

* * *

 

“ _Reborn_ , _can you get the door?_ ” Yuuto calls out from the spare bedroom as he cleans it a little. Gokudera keeps it fairly clean already, since he's a guest in the apartment, but there were a few dishes left on the desk in the corner when Yuuto checked inside. He won't mention it unless the teen starts leaving dishes in here often. Picking up a plate, Yuuto nearly drops it as a childish voice yells, “ _REBORN!_ THE GREAT LAMBO IS HERE TO KILL YOU!” and what follows is a loud snapping bang, something smacking into the wall and a familiar scream. _Misumi!_

Yuuto sprints from the spare bedroom, skidding into the living room with plate in hand, ready to throw at danger. “W-what...” He mumbles as he took in the sight that greets him with a dumbfounded expression. Misumi is pressed against the open front door, hands clutched to her chest and staring at what has to be blackened marks from an explosion. Reborn is standing, composed as ever, near the stunned woman and there is a small child, in a cow-printed onesie, embedded in the wall of the living room on the other side.

Yuuto watches as the the child falls from the wall and lands with a thwump onto the floor. He stares as the kid twitches and weakly raises their head up, before flopping back down into unconsciousness. “Are... are there more like you, Reborn?” Yuuto whispers, eyes still on the unconscious cow-child and Reborn scoffs, “That is not an Arcobaleno, Yuuto. It’s an annoyance, ignore it.”

“Y-Yuuto... w-what...” He looks to Misumi at the sound of her voice, who is shaking and pale-faced. Shit. How is he supposed to explain this? “I can explain...” Yuuto begins but Misumi shakes her head rapidly and then points at Reborn with a trembling hand as she says, “W-what... _what is he?!_ ”  with fear and shock in her eyes. “He’s... uhm... he’s Reborn?” Yuuto tries but his friend shakes her head again. “He kicked Lambo... into the wall! He kicked a little boy into a wall and _he looks like a baby!_ ” Misumi says, sounding and looking close to hysterics.

“Misumi... close the door and come inside, please.”  
“N-No... I should le—”

Click.

“Reborn...”  
“I would come inside if I were you, _ma’am~_ ”  
“Reborn put the gun down. She’s not going to do anything.”  
“She’s a civilian and is acting like a civilian always does. She should be taken care of.”

Yuuto clenches his fists, “Absolutely not.” He says and Reborn glances at him from over his shoulder. The hitman's voice is flat as he says, “You’ll be breaking Omertà, that’s punishable by death.” and Yuuto just stares at the other. “I don’t even know what that is,” He grits out.

“It’s the law against revealing the underworld to civilians.”  
“Didn’t you do that with Tsuna and I? What about Tsuna’s friends?”  
“That’s different. You’re all his future guardians and Tsuna is directly related to the Mafia. This woman is nothing.”

Misumi whispers with a pale face, “ _M-Mafia?_ ” under her breath as she still stands huddled against the front door. “Good job, now you broke the Omertà thing too.” Yuuto snarks, eyes on the gun in Reborn's hand as he inches towards the tiny hitman. “ _All the more reason to dispose of her~_ ” Reborn says coldly as he cocks the weapon and Yuuto realizes he's dead serious with sudden clarity. This wasn't Reborn being an asshole and trying to scare someone. Reborn actually means to kill Misumi.  _Shit_.

“If you kill her... I will, _personally_ , destroy every box of that fucking coffee you like that I can find in Namimori.” The gun stills and the aura coming from Reborn suddenly grows menacing as the hitman removes his gaze from Misumi completely, black eyes pinning Yuuto down where he stands. Yuuto gulps at the blank and flinty look in other's black eyes.

“You wouldn’t _dare_.”  
"I would so fucking dare. Don’t test me.”  
“I would kill you very slowly over that.”  
“You don't scare me.”

Yuuto doesn't let himself flinch as a bullet ripps through the air, skims his cheek, and impacts somewhere behind him. He glares down at Reborn with defiance and it feels like minutes pass as they stared at each other before Reborn lowers the gun and says, “She’s your problem then. You can explain it all, _by yourself_.” then leaves through the open door of the apartment. Misumi flinchs away from the hitman, scurrying further inside and over to him.

Striding over quickly, Yuuto slams the door and presses his forehead to it. A cold sweat has broken over him and the adrenaline he was feeling early suddenly leaves in a flood, leaving his legs shaky. God, he had actually thought Reborn might kill him in that moment. He knows he's been walking a delicate tightrope with how defiant he can be against Reborn and live, that he's been pushing the line by constantly getting in the way of the hitman's 'teaching' methods. But those are small in comparison to what he just did now. Yuuto knows that it wasn't the threat against the coffee that made Reborn angry... no, it had been that Yuuto stood up like this to the other  _again_. The first time had been with the dying will bullets, and Yuuto knows he's lucky that Reborn didn't shoot him back then when he threatened bodily harm to the baby over it.

“Y-Yuuto... _your cheek_...” Misumi’s shell shocked voice draws him from his thoughts and Yuuto presses his fingers to his cheeks then pulls them away. They came back with blood tinged on the tips and he winces. Reborn definitely had been ready to kill him this time.

Turning to his friend, Yuuto sighs as he says, “Right, yeah... you might want to sit down for this—”

 

* * *

 

Misumi clutches the glass of water in her hands tightly. Just moments ago, Yuuto had finished his explanation and she has no idea what to think. The Mafia? Babies who weren’t actual babies? _Magic fire?!_

“S-show me again...” She whispers, watching her friend's fingers and Yuuto’s eyes grow concentrated. A moment later a green fiery light flares to life onto her friend's finger tips and it arches back-and-forth in a pattern almost like electricity. “T-Tsuna can do this too?” Misumi asks, glancing at Yuuto and the green fire fades from his fingers quickly as he slumps and says, “Not yet, but he will be once Reborn—” She flinches at the name, “—starts training us on flames. He's more concentrated on Tsuna's studies right now though. I can barely even do what I just showed you without feeling exhausted afterwards...”

She nods, face blank as her mind slowly digests this information. A snuffling noise draws her eyes to the armchair where the passed out cow-child had been placed by Yuuto earlier. She had been surprised when it turned out the boy was barely injured. The baby hitman, and wasn’t that a terrifying prospect, had kicked Lambo into a wall! Hard enough to leave an imprint of cracks and dented plaster behind!

Misumi slowly looks from the sleeping form of Lambo to Yuuto. _They're superhuman_. She's friends with a man who is a superhuman, whose nephew is superhuman, and is surrounded by other superhumans too.

“I think... I think I should go home now.” She whispers suddenly, trying to sound strong and Yuuto eyes her quietly, a solemn expression on his face. “Misumi... you can’t tell anyone about this, _understand?_ ” He says in a soft voice and she nods, throat dry. “I’m serious Misumi... I know it sounds crazy but I only just heard of that law... he was serious about killing you if you tell anyone.” Her friend adds after a moment and Misumi nods again. Yeah, she had gotten that impression when the baby-thing nearly shot Yuuto in the face. Sucking in a breath, Misumi holds her head high and looks Yuuto in the eyes as she says, “I understand.” She would be endangering not only her life but... but his life and Tsuna’s if she repeated anything she's just learned.

Not like anyone would believe any of it in the first place. Not without seeing what she's just seen.

“Alright, let me walk you to the door.” Yuuto murmurs and stands, extending his hand to help her up and Misumi hesitates for a moment, remembering the green electric fire that danced on her friend's fingers. His face falls slightly, hand starting to pull away, when Misumi grabs all the courage she can manage and takes Yuuto's hand.

“I-I need time to think about all this...” She murmurs when they're at the front door, Yuuto holding it open for her.

“I understand, and I don’t blame you if you want to stay away. Tsuna will understand too.” She winces at his words. She loves Yuuto’s nephew but Misumi needs time to figure this out, get her thoughts re-organized before she thinks she could be around them right now.

“I-I’ll... I’ll be in touch.”  
“Don’t force yourself...”  
“Mmm... bye, Yuuto.”

Yuuto waves her out.

 

* * *

 

_Bang._

First, it had been the fliers.

_Bang._

Then it was constant interference with him how he wakes his student up every morning.

_Bang._

The constant sarcastic remarks.

_Bang._

The defiance and threat over the dying will bullets.

_Bang._

Daring to challenge him to find a different way.

_Bang._

And now _this_.

Reborn glares darkly at the tree he's just decimated with bullets, smoke curling up from his weapon’s muzzle around his face. That man is beyond infuriating.

One minute, they get along fine. Reborn has even found Yuuto’s sarcastic and dry-wit to be pleasant, found the resolve Yuuto has to care for his nephew admirable, but then in the next moment the man is constantly questioning him. Questioning his teaching methods, questioning his knowledge. Pushing and pushing, always pushing it so close. When was the last time someone had toed this _close_ to the edge of the line and he hadn't killed them immediately?

Reborn's fists clench as he grinds his teeth together. He's the Sun Arcobaleno, Strongest of the Seven, the _World’s Greatest Hitman_. Who was Tanaka Yuuto? Just the uncle and Lightning of the brat he's been hired to train into a Mafia boss.

“ _You don’t scare me_.”

_Bang._

The pitiful tree snaps in half, unable to hold itself up now that most of its mass in the middle is gone.

Reborn has been doing this for years and this civilian thinks he can tell Reborn what to do!? His gun suddenly shifts, Leon crawling out of his grasp and sticking his tongue to the hitman’s chubby cheek. It draws Reborn from his thoughts, and he stares at his animal companion blankly for a moment before the smell of something burning catches his attention. Reborn glances back at the tree he had been taking his anger out on. _Oops_. Looks like he had put a bit too much sun flames in those bullets. The decimated tree is beginning to burn up from the inside out.

He can get over the promise of killing him over shooting the man's nephew. That was an understandable reaction for a parent, and a guardian, even if Tsunayoshi hadn't actually been in danger. After Reborn had gotten over his frustration of Yuuto daring to threaten him and then  _challenge_  him, he found it a bit endearing that Yuuto thought he could do anything to Reborn in the first place.

Reborn clutches the brim of his fedora, eyes still on the burning tree. It wasn’t even the threat about getting rid of all the espresso that angered him so much this time, he didn’t actually care about that as he he has other ways to obtain his espresso.

No, it had been Yuuto’s fearless gaze and the fact that the man wouldn’t back down, the fact that he still pushed. That he had told Reborn no, and _meant it_. That Yuuto was ready to fight Reborn over it, _to die over it_. He had been aiming for the man’s forehead back in the apartment, angered that once again Yuuto was standing in his way and telling him no. Omertà hadn’t been something that he could find a work around for, like with the dying will bullets. Breaking Omertà was a serious offense... if that woman reveals anything of what Yuuto told her to the wrong people.. it won't just be Yuuto and her that take the fall, Reborn will be held accountable too. And if there was one enemy that Reborn doesn't have complete confidence he could defeat, it's the Vindice.

Reborn's grip on his fedora tightens. If he hadn’t twitched his hand at just the last second, changing the trajectory of his aim...

He had really been prepared to kill Yuuto this time, hadn’t he?

 

* * *

 

Tsuna yawns and tunes Gokudera’s rambling out, his feet dragging as he walks home with the other teenager. Gosh, he just wants to go home and sleep. Today had felt so long! Hopefully Reborn won't have any subjects to tutor him on tonight so he can go to sleep early. Tsuna is going to have nightmares for the rest of his life concerning the history lessons he's going through for Vongola. Hopefully they're almost done with that, he's not sure how much more he can take hearing about some of the gruesome stuff in Vongola's history... and he's meant to take over all of that?

They have the wrong person for the job, of that Tsuna is one hundred percent certain of.

The smell of smoke as Hayato and him start to pass by one of the park fields catches his attention, and Tsuna briefly looks over only to do a double take. There is a tree in the field, that has snapped in half, _on fire_.

And Tsuna is pretty sure that is Reborn’s tiny form standing near it’s blaze. He stares for a moment. Should he go see what Reborn's doing? Or should he continue home? “ _Tenth?_ ” Looks like Gokudera has finally noticed that Tsuna wasn’t beside him and the other teen spins around, speed walking back over to him. Gokuedera follows his gaze to the field and stares in bewilderment too.

“Is that the Sun Arcobaleno?”  
“Yeah...”  
“What is he doing out there?"  
“I-I don’t know...”

They stare for a moment longer before Tsuna opens his mouth, “H-Hey, Gokudera—”

“Yes, tenth?!”  
“Can you go on without me? I’m gonna go see what Reborn is doing but... I-I think I should do it alone.”

Tsuna's intuition is telling him that if Gokudera comes with him down to the field, it won't end well. “T-tenth, I can’t do—” The other teen stammers but Tsuna cuts him off with a pleading look, “Please? Or at least just... wait further down? W-Where you can’t be seen, maybe?”

“... I can do that.”

Tsuna gives Gokudera a grateful smile and watches the silver-haired teen walk farther down the sidewalk. The moment Gokudera disappears out of sight, Tsuna turns his attention back to Reborn. The tiny hitman is still standing down there in the same spot. Sighing, and fairly certain this is a bad decision, Tsuna starts down the embankment that lead into the park field. The smell of smoke gets stronger as he gets closer and his intuition pinged, stuck between urging Tsuna on and telling him to run like he's the one on fire.

“ _R-Reborn?_ ”

The hitman doesn’t twitch and continues to stare at the burning remains of the tree. “W-what’re you doing out here?” Tsuna asks, eyeing the tree and getting a more clear view of it now that he's closer. There are what looks to be bullet holes in it... lots of bullet holes. “Your uncle is a very frustrating individual.” Reborn suddenly remarks] startling Tsuna and making him glance at the other. He hadn’t expected to actually get an answer from the hitman. “Uh, y-yeah, sure... tell me about it?” He prompts after a moment, mostly following his intuition which was telling Tsuna to push, but very slowly and carefully.

Reborn doesn’t say anything until the embers on the tree have almost died down. “What would you do if I killed your uncle?” Tsuna freezes at the hitman's words, a thousand thoughts running through his mind.

 _I’d hate you_ , _I’d want you dead_ , _I’d never trust you again_...

He has no idea how to reply and it seems Reborn expected that. “I didn’t kill him.” Reborn says with some amusement coloring his voice, turning to look at him, and Tsuna’s shoulders relax. He hadn’t realized how tense he had gotten. “You can put the flames away, brat.” The hitman adds and Tsuna blinks, glancing down at his hands. Oh... he didn’t even notice that too.

The orange fire winks out and the exhaustion Tsuna was feeling before Reborn’s question crashes back down on him, worse than before and making him wobble where he stands. Reborn makes a tutting noise in the back of his throat, “Let’s go. I’m done here.” and starts walking back up the hill to the sidewalk. Tsuna watches the other go and then glances back to the tree. What had happened? Did his uncle and Reborn get into another fight? If Reborn had destroyed a tree in his anger, then what about his uncle? Was Yuuto alri—

“TSUNA! LET’S GO,.” A bullet impacts the dirt next to him and Tsuna jumps with a squeal.

“ _C-coming!_ ”

He guesses he’ll find out what happened when he gets home.

 

* * *

 

A brown-haired man had been there instead of Misumi when he had woken up, and Reborn was gone but Lambo hadn’t let that deter him. After all, this place was where the Arcobaleno lived, so he’d be back!

When the man had asked him his name after giving his own, Lambo had given his typical greeting and then demanded candy. He had decided this Mr. Tanaka was nice enough when the adult had disappeared into the kitchen, after staring at Lambo suspiciously, and returned with a chocolate bar. It wasn’t Lambo’s favorite, and he had started to whine but quickly snatched the bar when Mr. Tanaka had threatened to take it back.

They had sat in silence after that, Lambo munching the candy and Mr. Tanaka staring at the imprint the cow-child had left in the wall. _Stupid Reborn!_  The hitman should’ve let Lambo kill him quickly. Now it’d take longer for Lambo to get home.

After finishing the candy, Lambo had decided to explore the rest of the apartment and wandered further into the back, peeking into bedrooms. He was determined to find where the Arcobaleno slept. He could set up traps with his grenades for the stupid baby! The first two bedrooms had no sign of the hitman’s belongings, and Lambo pouted at finding nothing, before moving on. He’d find where Reborn slept, he was the Great Lambo after all!

The last bedroom was the biggest and Lambo knew this had to be what he was looking for.

He's just set foot past it’s door, pulling grenades out of his hair, when hands scoop him up off the floor. “What do you think you’re doin—are those _grenades?_ ” Mr. Tanaka holds him up to eye level and frowns at him. “Why do you have gren—” Lambo kicks his legs and squirms, “PUT THE GREAT LAMBO DOWN! HE MUST CREATE A TRAP FOR REBORN WHERE HE SLEEPS!”

Mr. Tanaka snorts in response, “Reborn doesn’t sleep in here, kid." and Lambo pointedly stares at a fedora sitting on a nightstand athen towards the tiny suits hanging in the open closet he can barely see inside of.

“YOU’RE LYING!”

The adult grumbles, “... Doesn’t sleep in here much, _if I can chase him out_ ,—” That part was muttered under Mr. Tanaka's breath,”— so no traps in my bedroom are allowed.”

Lambo wants to protest but Mr. Tanaka talks over him as they leave the bedroom and head back towards the living room. “In fact, there will be no traps of any kind set up in my hom—” Lambo manages to squirm free, falling to the floor and rolling to break it. “ _GAHAHAHA!_ ” He laughs as he takes off.

“ _HEY!_ GET BACK HERE!”  
“YOU CANNOT CATCH THE GREAT LAMBO!”

 

* * *

 

“No! You cannot have more candy, _and give me that!_ ”

Tsuna stares into the living room from the front door with Gokudera peering over his shoulder as they watch his uncle try to catch a small child wearing a cow-onesie, who is holding something small above their head as they run around.

“ _GAHAHAHA!_ LAMBO SHALL NOT GIVE IT UP UNTIL HE GETS MORE CANDY!”  
“Lambo! _Give_. _Me_. _The_. _Grenade!_ ” Yuuto hisses and swipes for the child again, only for the boy to dash through the adult's legs right towards him and Gokudera.

“ _DIE REBORN!_ ”

Tsuna has barely a second to register Reborn brushing past before the child, Lambo, is flying across the living room and smacking into the far wall. The small object that was in the little boy's hands falls to the floor with a ping and his uncle freezes, eyes on the cow-child and object. Tsuna suddenly wants to turn around and leave. He’s too tired for whatever is going on right now... Gokudera and him could go to Ryohei’s house, who has always let Tsuna stay over whenever he asks.

 

* * *

 

“Irritating little pest.” Reborn says flatly and does a quick sweep of the room as everyone stares towards where the annoyance is crumpled on the ground, senses extending further into the house. Sato isn’t here anymore, but she left the idiot cow-child behind. He can feel Tsuna debating on whether he should leave or not behind him and snaps out, “Shut the door, Tsuna. You’re letting a draft in.” The teenager jumps and does just that, Gokudera shuffling inside before Tsuna closes it. The click of the front door seems to draw Yuuto's attention back to them.

“Did you have to do that?” The man grunts, arms crossing and Reborn clucks his tongue, “It was annoying.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to kick the _literal child_. Just because your body is a baby’s doesn’t give you a free pass to beat up other children.”  
“It had a grenade.”  
“ _Please_. Like that would actually hurt you, and that is not an it. He’s a little boy, Reb —”

A sudden cry cuts Yuuto off and the man turns away from him. The dumb Bovino brat is crying, _loudly_. Honestly, Reborn had barely even tapped him. He knows why the kid is here, the supposed mission to kill him is really just a cover.

The true mission is something that only Reborn is aware of, thanks to a letter from Timoteo that arrived a day before the brat showed up. He scowls at the cow-child with contempt at the brat continues to cry. This is what they wanted to give Tsunayoshi as his Lightning guardian? This child can’t be more than four or five, and though Reborn can feel that he has a strong core of Lightning, it's dormant and he’s far too young for them to be awakened. Reborn hates politics when it comes to guardian bonds. The higher up you get into the Mafia echelon, the worse the political machinations become.

Timoteo's sons might still be alive if they had been allowed to naturally select their guardians, instead of the ones that were foisted onto them for alliances.

Reborn wonders who else Vongola might try to send as potential guardians for his student. Maybe he should send a report into Timoteo that the Rain, Sun, Storm and Cloud guardian have already been chosen. Tsuna's guardian bonds with his friends is only halfway there, as it won't complete until the other boys awaken their flame cores and Tsunayoshi is a little more free from that seal. But Timoteo won't know that, and Reborn has a good feeling that his student will choose Gokudera as his Storm.

Not to mention his word has enough clout to keep Timoteo from questioning the identities of the guardians if Reborn says he chose them personally. In fact, he can use the Bovino child as a cover for Tsuna now having a Lightning, without revealing the identity of Yuuto, and secure the Bovino famiglia's allegiance to Vongola at the same time.  It'll cause an uproar when it's found out to not be the case, but by then the Bovino will have already sworn their loyalty to Vongola's heir and it won't matter. Besides, it's not impossible for a Sky to have two or more guardians of the same element.

That would leave every spot but Mist filled, and there aren’t many unattached Mists readily available for the Vongola to send over.

“H-hey, it’s alrig—”  
“ _S-STUPID R-REBORN!_ ”  
“ _Heh_... yeah, he is kind of a dummy, huh?”

Reborn twitches and glares at Yuuto, scathing retort on his tongue but there isn’t anger in the man’s tone, and he can make out a sly smirk curling on Yuuto's lips. The glare turns down a fraction. Yuuto isn’t insulting him... he’s teasing him. It throws Reborn for a loop for a second, having expected to return to the other being furious about threat to kill Sato.

“Not as stupid as you.” He huffs and Yuuto glances at him, voice coated in amusement as the man says, “So you admit you’re at least somewhat of an idiot?”

“... I didn’t say that.”  
“I think you did. Just now, actually.”  
“No, I did not.”  
“You sure implied it.”  
“I think all the repeated gunshots near your person has damaged your hearing, Yuuto.”  
“I can hear just fine, Reborn~”

 

* * *

 

Tsuna thinks he’s entered the twilight zone as he watches his uncle and tutor snark with each other back-and-forth. There isn’t any frustration in Yuuto’s tone, nor mocking lilt to Reborn’s and he's fairly certain Gokudera is having a minor breakdown next to him as the other teen mutters under his breath. Tsuna understands how Gokudera is feeling right now, he feels it on a daily basis after all.

Didn’t Reborn just demolish and set the remains of a tree on fire because his uncle had angered the hitman somehow? Tsuna's not surprised Yuutoisn’t angry anymore over whatever happened, his uncle has always been quick to move on from things. Maybe that has something to do with why the man is a Lightning? Strikes hard and fast before dissipating? Well... usually Yuuto will move on quickly. His uncle still hates Tsuna's real father with a burning fury.

Tsuna can’t actually remember much of the general personalities that Reborn had explained typically produced a certain flame type, and he thinks it’s kind of silly to say that if someone has a certain personality then they most likely have a certain flame type. Isn’t that like... narrow-minded and stereotyped, or something?

“ _R-REBORN!_ ” Tsuna's gaze moves to the little child in a cow-onesie as they start to stand on shaky legs, sniffling still. “THE G-GREAT LAMBO WILL A-A... ASSAS— _KILL YOU!_ ” Lambo yells and lunges for Reborn again but his uncle is faster this time, scooping the little boy up and holding him at arm's length.

“ _Nope._ The Great Lambo is going to tell Mr. Tanaka just what he’s doing here and why he wants to kill the other baby, _right?_ ” Yuuto drawls, staring the cow-child down.

“L-Lambo... Lambo has to kill Reborn!”  
“You’ve said that. Can you tell me why?”  
“B-because if Lambo doesn’t, _h-he can’t go home!_ ”

His uncle makes a face at that, and Tsuna’s fairly certain he’s making the same face at the moment. “Reborn...” Yuuto begins and Tsuna thinks he sees the tiny hitman roll his eyes as he says, “That _thing_ is Bovino Lambo of the Bovino famiglia. He was sent here to assassinate me.”

“That must really get on your nerves that they sent a... how old are you, Lambo?”  
“T-the Great Lambo is five.”  
“... that they sent a five year old to kill you.”  
“You have no idea.”

The little boy starts squirming again, “P-put Lambo down!”  
“Not unless you promise to stop trying to kill Reborn in my home, and no more grenades.” His uncle states after a moment and Tsuna glances around the apartment. He can see a few scorch marks along the floors and walls that must have come from a grenade... or several. Their apartment is slowly starting to look like a warzone with all the bullet holes, cracks in the walls and now the new blackened scuffs.

Lambo pouts and averts his eyes, tears starting to gather in the corners of them. “B-but—”  
“No buts. This is my home, _my rules_.”  
“... o-only if you give the Great Lambo m-more candy... grape candy!”  
“I’m not going to bribe you, ki —”  
“ _GRAPE CANDY OR NO PROMISES!_ ”

Tsuna watches his uncle’s face and how the adult's eye twitches. He’s pretty sure that if this Lambo wasn’t a five-year old, then Yuuto would have tossed the little boy outside already and locked the door.

 

* * *

 

“Fine. I’ll get you grape candy tomorrow. Deal?”  
Lambo squints at Mr. Tanaka, trying to figure out if the adult is being truthful or not. “The Great Lambo accepts. But if he doesn;t get grape candy tomorrow, then he will kill Reborn in the house!” He finally agrees, crossing his arms imperiously. One of the teenagers, the silver-haired one, by the front door makes a scandalous noise as Mr. Tanaka grumbles under his breath about expecting that sort of answer, and sets him down on the couch. “Right, great. Now... who do I call to come pick you up?”

Lambo can’t help it, he starts crying again.

“N-NO ONE WILL COME PICK UP L-LAMBO UNTIL HE KILLS R-REBO—” Something green smacks him in the face and Lambo’s vision blacks-out.

 

* * *

 

“Dammit, Reborn! Stop hitting the kid!” Yuuto hisses and quickly picks Lambo back up, twisting his upper half away from Reborn, who is sitting on the back of the couch. He glares at the green mallet in hitman’s tiny hand as Reborn blandly says, “His crying was giving me a headache.” making Yuuto roll his eyes in response. Honestly... can Reborn not be an asshole for five seconds? For a minute they were even getting along, which had surprised Yuuto as he figured Reborn would be in a pissy mood for days after the stunt he pulled earlier.

Deep down, Yuuto's still angry over what happened but he isn't going to let it hang over him. The talk with Misumi had gone better than he expected and if his friend said she wasn’t going to tell anyone else about what they had discussed, what she had seen, then he believes her. He trusts her word.

 _But do I trust you?_  Yuuto wonders in the privacy of his own mind as he eyes Reborn. One half of him says yes, that he does. Reborn is doing a lot for Tsuna and him, and he's aware that the hitman hasn’t shared his findings in Namimori to Vongola... yet.

But the other half of him is wary and has seen the darkness in the hitman’s eyes, taken in how Reborn is quick to draw his gun, noted the other's disregard of violence. Yuuto is far more used to listening to the wary side of himself. It had been what set him straight about Iemitsu years ago, what had become suspicious about Tsuna’s first year back in school and what had quickly caught onto Reborn not being what he appeared that first night in the kitchen.

When does he stop listening to the wary side of himself concerning the baby? Will he ever? He wants to trust Reborn, but every time he thinks he’s reached a point where he can, the hitman does something that reminds him of just what he’s capable of and willing to do.

Yuuto's eyes wander to his nephew. He can’t afford to misplace his trust in Reborn but he doesn't think he can fully trust the other yet either.

“Whatever, just... stop. He’s a five year old.” Yuuto grunts and carefully inspects Lambo’s face. A red mark is already starting to form. “You’ve knocked him out cold, Reborn, and I have no idea who to call to come get him... or where he’s even staying to take him myself.” He tries snapping his fingers in the little boy’s face, but Lambo doesn’t so much as twitch at the action. “... now what do I do with him...” Yuuto mumbles, expression in deep thought. Should he just keep the child overnight? He won’t call Misumi about it, he’ll let her come to him whenever she’s ready... if she ever will be. Calling the police is probably a no-go, the kid is Mafia just like Gokudera and that'll raise red flags in some computer databases somewhere.

“Throw him into the trash outside.”

A muscle in Yuuto’s jaw ticks at that flippant response and he smothers the urge to start chewing Reborn out, again. “I’m not going to throw him into the trash, and I’m not going to leave a five-year old outside, by himself.” He manages to grit out.

“Well, then why are you asking me what to do?”  
“ _It was rhetorical, Reborn!_ ”

 

* * *

 

Hayato picks at his nails as he sits on the floor of the tenth’s room. The other teen had tugged on his sleeve and they had snuck off when the Sun Arcobaleno and Mr. Tanaka started getting snippy with each other concerning the hitman smacking the Bovino kid with a mallet earlier. To be honest, Hayato think his boss's uncle is kind of a badass as the adult doesn't seem to have any fear when it comes to the hitman. He doesn't know how Mr. Tanaka does it, or how the adult isn't dead yet. If Hayato, or really anyone else, backtalked _any_ Arcobaleno like that... they’d be dead ten times over. Well, except for maybe the Cloud one, it was rumored they were was the weakest of the Seven.

“Your uncle doesn’t care that Reborn is an Arcobaleno, does he?” Hayato questions, glancing up at his boss. “U-uhh... we don’t really know what that is, to be honest... Reborn’s never explained it.” The smaller boy replies from his bed and Hayato nearly falters onto his face. Neither one of them know what the Arcobaleno are in the Mafia world and yet  _they are living with one?_

What was the hitman teaching Hayato’s boss?!

“What have you been told, tenth?” He asks further, trying to gauge just what information is missing.

“Well... not much? I-I mean I know why I’ve been chosen to be Decimo, cause of my dumb father...” Hayato winces at that, he knows all about poor father figures. “We're working through t-the history of the underworld and Vongola, it's a lot...” His boss says and scratches the back of his head sheepishly. “What! He should be teaching you mo—” Hayato is cut off by the other teens’s frantic shushing and he flushes as he realizes that he had started to yell.

They both go silent, waiting to see if the hushed voices they can make out in the living room move towards them but nothing happens.

“It’s o-okay, Gokudera. I mean, Reborn hasn't been here very long and this job he took, training me and stuff, is supposed to last for years, right? I remember him saying I can’t inherit the position until I’m older and the Ninth steps down... so there i-isn’t a need to rush. Besides, my uncle hasn't made it easy for the hitman to teach me... Reborn is kinda violent about it and Yuuto gets on his case whenever he catches him... and... I'm nervous to ask him about this Arcobaleno stuff, it seems... kinda personal.” His boss says in a rush and shrugs.

Hayato can’t argue against any of that. He's been living here long enough to witness enough arguments between his boss's uncle and the Sun Arcobaleno to know that Mr. Tanaka disapproves heavily of Reborn's methods. Once again, he wonders how the man isn't dead yet and Hayato slumps, indignant anger leaving him.

“But... I would appreciate it if you c-could tell me what you know about the Arcobaleno?” Sawada adds and directs a smile at him causing Hayato to perk up, eyes bright at the prospect of doing something for his boss. He knows a bit about the Arcobaleno, not all of it as much of the group is shrouded in mystery, but just what the rest of the underworld is aware of. “Of course, ten—”

“Tsuna, _please_.”

“I can’t so casually call you by your first name, tenth! It’s rude!” Hayato exclaims and the other teenagers’s face pinches, a frown settling on his lips. “Yes you can. We live together, a-and... and I’d like to think you’re my friend—” Hayato’s heart jumps into his throat, “—and friends call each other by their names.”

“T-tenth... I-I—”  
“You are my friend, right... _Hayato?_ ”

“O-of course, tenth.” Hayato says quickly, heart racing. His boss's face falls and he realizes why a split second later. “I-I mean, Tsuna!” Hayato quickly corrects. It makes him uncomfortable to refer to his boss so casually, but it's a request so he needs to follow it and... Hayato hasn’t really had someone want to be his _friend_ before.

“W-why are you crying?!” Tsuna exclaims as the smaller teen scrambles from his bed, and Hayato can’t help but laugh at his boss's expression. “I-It’s not important!” He chuckles with a teary smile, wiping at his eyes.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto tucks the blanket around Lambo’s body tighter and then frowns down at the child on his couch as he straightens. Once again, he’s accumulated another kid. He looks to Reborn, who is still perched on top of the couch’s back and has been since he smacked Lambo into unconsciousness.

“So, why is he really here?”  
“To assassinate me, _obviously~_ ”

Yuuto pinches the bridge of his nose and counts down from five before he says, “Reborn... I’m not an idiot." and a snort escapes the hitman. Yuuto glares at Reborn for a moment before continuing, "There is no way an _actual kid_ could kill you. There’s got to be another reason he was sent here.” He says and crosses his arms, waiting for an answer. Yuuto can tell Reborn is debating on what to tell him as he’s noticed that Reborn will tug on his curly sideburns often when in thought.

After a moment Reborn says, “The Bovino famiglia is well-known for their ingenious technological inventions, and they’re one of the oldest of Vongola’s allies. Ever since the death of Federico,—” Yuuto has to think for a moment to remember who that is. Oh, right. One of the Ninth’s dead sons.”—and his guardians, one of whom was a Bovino, the alliance has been on shaky ground.” The hitman continues with a bland expression, “Bovino Lambo is a Lightning with a strong core even if dormant. Once he’s older, and has been given the right training, he would be very formidable.”

Yuuto lets that sink in, mulling it over in his mind. “So... they’re... trying to play political marriage with my nephew? But instead of marrying him off to someone, it’s by giving him guardians that will tie other groups to the Vongola?” He says finally, because that's exactly what it sounds like to him.

“You catch on quick.”  
“I’m an analyst, it’s my job.”  
“A _business_ analyst~”  
“Isn’t the Mafia technically a giant, violent, business firm?”

Reborn doesn’t have a response to that and Yuuto shoots the other a smug look.

“Will they send more?” He asks after a moment of silence and Reborn sighs as he hops off the back of the couch, “No. I’ll be sending in a report soon to the Ninth.”

“What will you tell him.” Yuuto says as he feels a chill creep up his spine. What would Reborn reveal? Would he endanger Tsuna somehow? How long will Reborn wait before telling the Vongola everything they thought they knew about Tsuna’s living conditions and life were wrong? “ _Relax_. I have no intention of revealing anything.” Reborn says, giving him a knowing look, “Nono will be informed that Tsuna has a Sun, Cloud and Rain, that have been selected by me to be his guardians.”

“And Lightning?”  
“Nono will be very pleased to know that the Lightning position has been filled and that he can rest easy about the Bovino alliance.”  
“But Lambo isn’t Tsuna’s Lightning, I am—”

Reborn smirks at him while interrupting with, “But he doesn’t have to know that, _does he?_ ”

“ _You’re going to lie to your boss!?_ ” Yuuto exclaims, eyes wide, and Reborn snorts. “I’m not lying. Merely omitting some facts and letting the man conclude what he will from my report, it's not my fault if he concludes wrong... and he’s _not_ my boss. I’m a freelancer~” The tiny hitman says with a bit of pride coloring his voice. “What about Storm and... the other one? Mist?” He had almost forgotten that Tsuna is supposed to have six guardians one day.

Reborn’s smirk grows, “Won’t be problems either. Gokudera will most likely take the Storm position, and Mists that are mentally sound are hard enough to find as it is, let alone one that could handle a young teenaged Sky.”

 

* * *

 

A knock at his door makes Tsuna look up just as his uncle peers in. “Hey, sorry about earlier. How was school you two?” The adult asks as he comes in, sitting beside him on the bed. “It was alright.” Tsuna mumbles, tiredly leaning against his uncle. Hayato nods from where he’s still on the floor and Tsuna hopes Yuuto won’t ask about the tear stains on the other teenager's face. They didn't get a chance to talk about the Arcobaleno, as Tsuna had gotten too distracted by the fact that Hayato had cried and he didn't know why.

“Well, you guys should get some sleep. It’s almost twelve A.M.” His uncle murmurs, patting Tsuna on the back, and he goes to protest when a yawn catches him off guard. Hayato does the same not a second later.

“See? Bedtime, kiddos.” Yuuto chuckles and stands up, then stares at Hayato when the boy doesn’t move from the floor. “That means going to your own room and sleeping, Gokudera.” His uncle says finally when all Hayato does is stare up at the adult. “R-right, right! Of course, Mr. Tanaka! Sorry!” Hayato says as he scrambles to his feet and goes to leave, pausing to call quietly over his shoulder, “Goodnight ten— _Tsuna!_  Goodnight Mr. Tanaka.”

“Night, kid.”  
“Night Hayato!”

The door to the spare bedroom closes and it’s quiet for a moment in Tsuna’s room before his uncle asks, “So, finally got him to stop calling you that ridiculous name?”

“Y-yeah... we’re friends now. Friends call each other by their names... plus, he lives with us...” Tsuna murmurs as he gets up to grab a set of pajamas from one of his dressers.

“Tsuna...”  
“Hm?”  
“I don’t want you visiting Misumi for a while.”

Tsuna almost drops his pajamas as he pulls them from the dresser as he turns around and asks, “W-what?! Why?” His uncle’s shoulders are tense, face pulled into a frown. “... She found out about all of this.” Yuuto says, frown deepening and Tsuna’s heart drops to his stomach. Misumi found out? How had she found out? Was she ok—  
A burning tree and Reborn’s question runs through his mind. Oh god. Was that why Reborn was angry? But why? Why would he be mad that Misumi found out? Why would the hitman be so angry with his uncle about it?

“H-how did she find out?”  
“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that she did...”  
“ _D-does she h-hate me?_ ”

Yuuto approaches him, pulling him into a hug, “She doesn’t hate yo-” Tsuna cuts the adult off with an anxious, “B-but what if she does!” as he wraps his arms around his uncle.  
Misumi has been in his life since he met Yuuto. She was the one to hold him when he first found out his mother died. The one to dry his tears and tell him it’d be okay. What if she never wants anything to do with Tsuna or his uncle ever again?

Yuuto squeezes him tighter and moves him towards his bed, setting them both down on it. “Hey, look at me.” Tsuna wrings his hands anxiously and looks up into his uncle's face, “You know she doesn’t hate you, that she couldn’t hate you, Tsuna. She just needs time, okay?”

He nods and Yuuto rubs his back, tucking him into his side.

“We just need to give her space.”  
“B-but what if she doesn’t accept it?”  
“Then we don’t talk about it around her and we keep it away from her, okay?”  
“O-okay...”

His uncle stays quiet for the several minutes it takes Tsuna to calm down, only speaking when another yawn escapes the teen. “Alright, change into your pajamas and go to bed, kiddo.” Yuuto says, giving him another squeeze before getting up. “Don’t wanna...” Tsuna murmurs as he really doesn’t want to get up or do anything now.

A sigh leaves his uncle.

“At least take your outer shirt and socks off, Tsuna.”  
“ _Fiiiine_...”

He slips under his covers, peeking over the top of them as his uncle turns the lights out and goes to the door. “Y-you’re sure it’ll be okay?” He mumbles, loud enough for Yuuto to hear.

“Yeah, Tsuna. It’ll be okay.”

 

* * *

 

Reborn glances up when Yuuto enters the master bedroom, rubbing at his face and muttering to himself. He observes the man walk to his dresser, rummaging around in it for sleepwear. “How did the talk with Sato go?” He asks when it looks like Yuuto isn’t going to acknowledge him. The other jumps, spinning around and gasping out, “Reborn! Don’t do that!”and he rolls his eyes. Yuuto should have been paying attention when he walked into his room if he didn’t want to be surprised.

“ _Well?_ ” He questions again, a hint of sharpness entering his tone. Reborn had refrained from asking earlier, in case it brought to light the fact that he was going to kill Sato to Tsunayoshi. Or worse, that Reborn had almost shot the teen's uncle in the face. He doesn't need the brat to know about that. He already has enough problems with Yuuto as it is, he doesn't need his student to start following in the man's footsteps.

“Ugh, god, can we not do this tonight? I just had to tell Tsuna that the woman he’s considered a substitute mother, since he was seven, found out that he’s next in-line for a criminal organization!” Yuuto groans and sits on the edge of the bed, face in hands.

“Don’t forget the magical fire~” He can’t help but snark. “I fucking hate you.” Yuuto grumbles and falls backwards, arms spread out on the bed and Reborn hums in a I-don't-believe-you tone, smirk curling his lips. “ _Stop it_. I can feel your stupid ass smirk from here.” The man grunts, tilting his head back to glare right at him. He waits a moment and, “I still need to know how it went, Yuuto.”

“... it went fine. She won’t tell anyone.” Yuuto responds, crossing his arms and Reborn quirks a brow, “Are you sure?”

Sato’s reaction had been very typical of a civilian and he doubts that she’ll keep her mouth shut, _and if she doesn’t —_ “Yes, I’m sure. I trust her.” Yuuto rolls his eyes, but his voice is firm, confident in the trust he has for this woman.

“I hope you’re right.” _And when will you extend that trust to me too?_

Reborn doesn’t voice the rest of what he wants to say.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto sighs and rolls off the bed, heading towards the adjacent bathroom. He’s not going to even try convincing Reborn further that Misumi can be trusted. The hitman will believe what he wants to believe but as long as Reborn doesn’t try to kill her, Yuuto is fine with that. He stares at himself in the mirror once inside the bathroom, eyes on the needle thin cut to his cheek. It's already scabbed over and will most likely be gone within a few days. Yuuto's just glad his nephew didn't ask about it. He doesn't want Tsuna to know just how close it had come to Reborn actually killing him. For some reason his nephew seems more at ease concerning Reborn than he is and Yuuto is afraid that if that ease changes, and his nephew starts giving trouble to hitman, then Reborn might actually hurt his nephew and Yuuto won't be able to stop him.

After he’s brushed his teeth and changed, Yuuto returns to his bed and stares at the small form of Reborn on one side of it. Little bastard is already asleep. Can’t he go sleep on the couch or the floor? Why does it have to be _his_ bed?

“It’s the comfiest in the house and I deserve the best~”  
“ _AH!_ ” Yuuto flinches then hisses out, “I thought you were asleep!” as he pulls the covers back on his side of the bed. “ _I never sleep_.” Reborn monotones and Yuuto, honestly, can’t tell whether he’s being serious or not but it wouldn't surprise him if the tiny hitman doesn't actually sleep.

“Can’t you go sleep somewhere else? _It’s bad enough you’ve invaded my closet with your tiny suits_...” He mutters, head dropping to his pillow. Granted, if the hitman sleeps in his room it means he's not in Tsuna's. Yuuto put his foot down on that. No way is the violent asshole sleeping in his nephew's room where Yuuto can't keep an eye on him.

“Goodnight, Yuuto~” Reborn singsongs.

Yuuto huffs and turns out the lamp on the nightstand.

 

* * *

 

The flames flicker in her gaze as she stares at her fireplace, curled up in her armchair.

 _Mafia_.

Yuuto and Tsuna were involved with the Mafia. More than just involved. Tsuna was next in-line to rule a powerful group from what she had gathered. Misumi’s fingers curl around the patterned sake cup in her hand. She’s already gone through one bottle... she should probably stop before she goes through another.

Tsuna was going to become a criminal mastermind? The sweet little boy she used to take to the movies? The same little boy that had shyly given her a crayon drawing of Yuuto, her and himself that she still has hung up on her fridge? Misumi muffles a giggle into her hand, almost spilling her drink on herself.

God, she had practically helped raise Tsuna those first couple of years. Yuuto had no idea what he was doing with a kid in the beginning and sometimes her friend still didn’t. It had started out as just a part of her job, helping the adult settle into a parental role, but slowly it had changed as she spent more time with the nephew and uncle pair. Misumi by no means holds any romantic affections towards Yuuto, nor did he have any for her, but she definitely considered him as someone that was more-than-a-friend and Tsuna... she had never mentioned it but she considered the child as close as she could get to having a son.

Misumi tilts her head back, staring up at the ceiling as her thoughts sluggishly turn in her head. Should she try and stop this? She’s a social worker, it’s part of her job description to remove children from dangerous or neglectful environments but Yuuto isn’t neglectful or dangerous to Tsuna, far from it actually...

“ _You don’t think I wouldn’t pack up and disappear far away with him, like Alaska or somewhere equally as remote, if I could Misumi?_ ” Yuuto’s voice echoes in her mind. “ _Fucking Iemitsu is the head of some organization, and Tsuna is directly related to the bloodline of the Vongola’s first head through him._ ”

Sawada Iemitsu. The name of a man she’s never met but only ever heard of from years old files and Yuuto, when she’s gotten him drunk enough to go on one of his rants. If Sawada was a part of the Mafia, an important part at that, no wonder all information on him was sparse. It didn't excuse the man for not once showing up in the eight years since Tsuna's mother died in Misumi's mind... but it shed light on why he couldn't be found all those years ago.

Misumi understands why Yuuto hates him, she’s pretty sure she does too.

“ _They’d find him if we run, if we try to hide him._ ”

Would they? Are they that strong? Do they have a reach that far?

Misumi finishes the rest of her sake and doesn’t pour anymore. She’ll make herself sick if she drinks another drop. The flickering embers in her fireplace draw her attention again and she thinks of the green, fiery light that Yuuto briefly showed her. The Mafia have superpowers, apparently... there isn’t a way normal people could fight against that.

Is she really going to keep her mouth shut about this? The baby thing crosses her mind and she represses a shudder. For just a moment, when it had been aiming the gun at her, it’s shadow seemed to grow and morph into the shape of a tall man.

The thing, Reborn, is there to teach Tsuna according to Yuuto...  
“ _Are you sure it can be trusted, Yuuto?_ ”  
“ _I don't know... but he's the only option there is..._ ”

This was the man who went after the Board of Education for the abuse Tsuna was suffering in class from other children and teachers. This was the man who, when it was discovered that his nephew had dyslexia, had devoted his time to helping the child learn to live with it. This was also the man who was nearly shot in the face for trying to protect her.

Misumi sighs and closes her eyes, leaning her head back against the chair. She had placed her trust in Yuuto a long time ago and if her friend was trying to put his faith in this Reborn, then she would trust his judgement. 

Even if it terrified her.

 

* * *

  
_Timoteo,_

_Tsunayoshi’s training is going well. There was an incident with the dying will bullets and I’ve decided that it’s counter-productive to use them on the boy. He’ll undergo seal breaking the old-fashioned way, through copious amounts of meditation and training._

_Bovino Lambo has arrived in Namimori, safe and sound. You may rest easy. As for the Sun, Storm, Cloud, and Rain guardian positions, please do not send anyone. I have already, personally, chosen candidates that Tsunayoshi is highly compatible._ _It is of my opinion that the Mist position should wait to be filled until the seal is almost gone. I will inform you of this when it comes to pass._

_Sincerely, Reborn._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I struggled really hard writing Tsuna's reaction to Misumi finding out. I tried to think how I would have reacted to knowing that someone important, who has helped raised me, suddenly knows I'm involved with criminal activity... I'm not sure if I got a believable reaction down for a sensitive 13 year old kid like Tsuna?  
> \- Misumi's sections also gave me trouble.  
> \- I swear. I'm not trying to write Reborn and Yuuto like they're an old married couple (when they aren't pissy at the other), that just seems to be the default dialogue style between those two.  
> \- Literally like... only a day or two passed in this chapter.
> 
> Next chapter will have Haru make her (official non-stalker) debut, more Lambo, and the first TYL Bazooka shenanigans. I might even get to when Bianchi will arrive, depends on how much is written before the 30 page cut-off mark I've given myself for each chapter.


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsuna nearly becomes dog chow. Lambo still wants grape candy. Girl troubles. Takeshi drops his act. Time travel. Lambo really wants ice cream. More girl troubles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh this chapter took longer than I thought it would and I ended up having to go past my 30 page limit per chapter. This is probably a sign that chapters will just get longer and longer.
> 
> Sorry for the wait time on this one!
> 
> Future updates will probably take longer too since more characters are being introduced and given the spotlight.

“Rise and shine, Tsunayoshi~”

“ _Nnn... nnooo..._ ”

The teenager rolls over, burying his face into the soft pillow. He doesn't want to get u— Tsuna shoves himself from his bed as his intuition yells at him. Just in time to avoid the mallet that slams into his pillow a moment after his head leaves it. Clutching his blanket, which he had yanked halfway off the bed, Tsuna stares wide eyed at the form of Reborn standing on his bed's mattress. “Good morning~” The hitman remarks cheerfully, a little smirk curling his lips.

The two stare at each other for a moment more and then Reborn _moves_.

Tsuna scrambles across the ground with a yelp, but he's too slow. The mallet smacks him in the back and he flops forwards, sprawled across the carpeted floor of his bedroom. Another strike to his head makes him cry out, “RE—AGH! REBORN! _I’M AWAKE!_ ”

“You should have woken up when I told you to, Tsuna.” Reborn replies blandly, smacking him for a third time with the green mallet and Tsuna just groans against the ground. He hates these wake-up calls. The hitman always attacks him if he doesn't get up, and his uncle isn't around to catch Reborn in the act. The one time Tsuna had woken up to a green axe hovering over his bed, he’d almost had a heart attack. His scream had brought Yuuto running, halfway dressed for work and brandishing his toothbrush like a knife.

Luckily, it seemed like Reborn had listened when Yuuto chewed him out, and was sticking to non-sharp objects. Thank god.

“Get up and get dressed.” The tiny hitman’s voice filters into his thoughts and Tsuna raises his head up, blearily staring at the clock on his nightstand. It's only four-thirty.

Reborn woke him up two hours and thirty minutes _early_.

“It’s not even c-close to when school starts, Reborn! I’m going back to sle—EEEP!” He squeals as the mallet impacts the ground next to his face, and jumps up onto his feet. Tsuna nearly falls when his legs end up twisting in his blanket. “W-where’s Yuuto?” Usually his uncle would wake him up before Reborn did, or peer in to make sure the hitman wasn’t being cruel.

“ _Sleeping~_ ”

Tsuna squints at Reborn's reply. That was unusual. His uncle should have been awoken by the screams just a minute earlier and come to check on him by now. Tsuna opens his mouth, ready to question Reborn, because the hitman must have done something, when sudden pain radiates up his knee. “AHHH-AH!” Tsuna hops on one foot, tears in his eyes as he grips at his other leg.

Reborn had smashed that stupid mallet into his knee!

“I said get ready.” The hitman monotones and Tsuna whimpers, hopping over to his closet to do as ordered.

“Don’t put your school uniform on just yet.”  
“W-wha—why?”  
“Because you’re going to need a shower before school.”  
“Uh...o-okay?”

Reborn wanders out of his room after that, calling over his shoulder to be quick and meet him outside. The implied ‘or else’ was unsaid but clearly heard.

Tsuna narrows his eyes at the door, tired scowl on his face, as soon as Reborn disappears from sight. What a jerk.

 

* * *

 

Quietly, Tsuna opens his uncle’s bedroom door and peeks in, spotting the form of Yuuto curled up in bed. It was just as Reborn said, his uncle really is still asleep.

Stepping back, Tsuna shuts the door as silently as he can and makes his way down the hall. Maybe his uncle was really tired. Yuuto did have to chase around the cow-child late last night, and Tsuna knows that Reborn and his uncle had a fight or something yesterday while he was in school.

He’s pretty sure he heard them talking about it before he fell asleep too.

He stops at the spare bedroom's door, debating on waking Hayato up. But if the other teenager hadn’t been awoken by his screaming... then he must be really tired too. Sighing, Tsuna makes his way to the front door, only to pause in the living room and stare at the couch. The stare slowly morphs into a glare at the loud snore that sounds from Lambo, who is still asleep too.

 _Lucky_.

 

* * *

 

Tsuna slumps as he exits the apartment, eyes squinting tiredly, and shuts the door quietly behind him.

A yawn cracks his jaw and he blinks, tired eyes sweeping across the street for Reborn as he descends the apartment building's stairs down to ground level. Where was the tiny hitman? He’s the one that woke Tsuna up this early, you’d think he’d be out he— A loud bark catches Tsuna’s attention and his intuition spikes dangerously as he sets foot on the sidewalk. Slowly he turns his head towards the sound as another bark goes off.

Oh... there's Reborn. The hitman is sitting, a large bucket in his lap, on the head of a rather big and scary looking dog. Who is surrounded by more big and scary dogs. Tsuna didn’t even know dogs could get that _big_.

“R-Reborn?”  
“These are my new friends. They’re going to help you build your stamina, every day.”  
“H-how? E-Every day?!”  
“Don’t ask stupid questions, Tsunayoshi.”

Reborn suddenly throws the contents of the bucket at him. It smells horrible and is gross, and _sticky_. Tsuna blinks and looks down at himself, face paling as he sees what's on him. I-is this blood and... _was that pieces of meat?!_ Reborn clearing his throat draws his attention back, and Tsuna’s face pales even further as he realizes what is planned. There is a whistle in Reborn's, “I’d start running if I were you.”

The hitman's smirk is pure evil.

Tsuna has barely turned on his heel when the whistle blows and snarling barks ring out behind him.

He starts screaming.

 

* * *

 

Hayato yawns as he slowly wakes up and stretches in bed. He blinks at the ceiling for a moment, a sleepy frown crossing his face. There's something in his ears. Reaching up, the teen plucks what appears to be earbuds out and stares at them in the palm of his hand with a quizzical expression. Why were those in there? He doesn't remember listening to any music last night before falling asleep.

Looking to the alarm clock, Hayato flings his blankets off and jumps from bed, then runs to the closet. There's only fifty minutes until he needs to leave for school!

He's just finished buttoning his pants when the muffled sound of the front door opening and slamming come's through the spare bedroom’s closed door.

 

* * *

 

“Good morning, bo-Tsuna... what’s on your cloth—”  
“H-HAYATO! HELP ME CLOSE THE DOOR!”

Tsuna presses his back harder against the apartment's front door, bracing himself with his feet as he desperately tries to keep the dogs on the other side from getting in.

“W-wha—”  
“H-HURRY! THERE’S DO—”

A vicious shove makes Tsuna stumble forwards and the door slips open just a bit behind him. The head of a huge, brown and snarling dog pushes past the opening. Drool drips from it’s massive jaws as it’s hungry eyes land on the two teens inside.

“HOLY SHIT!”  
“ _HELP!!_ ”  
“OKAY!”  
“ _CLOSE IT!_ C-CLOSE THE DOOR!”  
“ _SHITSHITSHIT!_ ”  
“P-PUSH!”

With an almighty push from both teenagers, and a well-aimed kick at the head of the dog peeking in from Hayato, the apartment door shuts and it's lock clicks into place. Tsuna gasps for air and slides down to the floor, Hayato joining him a second later with heaving lungsas the other teen asks, “T-that was a _dog?_ ”

“Y-yeah... yeah...” He mumbles in response. It was hard to believe that thing was a dog, as it looked more like a bear crossed with a pig to Tsuna.

The pack of beasts had chased him across several blocks back around to the apartment and somehow Reborn had directed the pack, all while riding on top of the biggest one’s head. Tsuna is going to assume mind control of some kind. Reborn does always seem to be able to read other’s minds... who's to say the hitman couldn’t control them too? That thought alone sends a shiver down Tsuna's spine as he tries to catch his breath. Everything hurts and he leans his head back against the cool wood of the door, eyes slipping shut tiredly.

“Uhm... T-Tsuna... you...”  
“Huh?”  
“You... sorry, but you _really_ smell.”

He opens his eyes to look over at Hayato, who is leaning away from him with his nose scrunched up and Tsuna glances down at himself. Oh, right. He's covered in the leftovers of a meat factory. Something lightly ruffles his hair and Reborn's voice suddenly pipes up right into his ear.

“You should go shower, Tsuna~”

Tsuna nearly screams as he scrambles across the floor away from the door. How had the hitman gotten inside?! The last Tsuna saw of him was outside, on the leader dog’s head. Hayato and him would have noticed Reborn sneak inside since they were the ones trying to close the front door. _Right?_ He groans and presses his hands to his face. He’d get up and shower in a bit, right now Tsuna just wanted to sit on the floor and pretend his legs don't exist— “And you have forty-five minutes before you need to leave to make it to school~”

_Forty-five minutes?!_

Tsuna jumps to his feety, ignoring the protesting of his thighs, and sprints to the hall bathroom. Quickly he rips his dirty clothes off, throws them into the laundry basket, then flings the shower curtain open and turns the shower on. Only forty-five minutes to shower all of this off?! Did Reborn want him to be late? Oh, who was he kidding! Of course the sadist wanted Tsuna to be late. Reborn could use it as an excuse to beat him up and turn it into a 'lesson' of some sort.

He's just about to hop into the shower, when Tsuna realizes he had forgotten to grab his school uniform. Cautiously, he cracks the bathroom door open. “Uh... H-Hayato?” The aforementioned teen appears a second later at the sound of his call, “Yes?”

“Can you get my school uniform for me? I forgot to grab it... i-it should all be on my bed!” Tsuna is so glad he had the forethought to lay out his clothes before leaving the apartment earlier. He would have died of embarrassment if he had to ask Hayato to also grab his underwear for him.

 “Of course, tenth!” Hayato exclaims in a rush and races to Tsuna’s bedroom. “T-thanks! J-just place it in front of the bathroom door!” Tsuna calls back, making a face at the other's slip-up and then goes back to his shower.

 Forty-five minutes... Reborn is such a sadistic jerk.

 

* * *

 

Quietly, Reborn approaches the bed and hops up onto it, grinning as he stares at Yuuto’s still slumbering form. His plan worked.

Ever since he had arrived in Namimori and began staying in this apartment it's been a pain trying to start Tsunayoshi on any sort of physical training. Yuuto has constantly gotten in the way and hovered nearby, disrupting Reborn’s usual methods, especially the morning wake-ups. “ _Not anymore~_ ” He whispers, gleefully rubbing his hands together as he stares at the state-of-the-art earbuds he ordered not too long ago that are in Yuuto's ears. Reborn carefully placed them in when the man fell asleep last night. They're guaranteed to block outside noises for an uninterrupted, restful sleep and they worked.

Oh, _they worked_.

Yuuto hadn’t woken up at all when Reborn had gone to get Tsunayoshi out of bed, and the tiniest of noises from the teenager seemed to be enough to wake the man from the dead no matter what time it was. It's been very irritating, but now Reborn can employ his usual morning ritual methods on his student and Yuuto will be none the wiser. He'll have to ensure that Tsunayoshi keeps his mouth shut though, as Reborn doesn't want this earbud plan to be discovered anytime soon.

Leaning forward, he carefully plucks the tiny devices from Yuuto’s ears, and then hovers over the man as he slips them into his suit jacket's inner pockets.

“ _Wakey, wakey~ Yuuto_.” Reborn singsongs, poking the sleeping man lightly on the forehead.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto stretches, toes scrunching as a satisfied yawn leaves him only to grunt as something pokes at his face. He swats it at, frowning when the poking moves to his cheek.

“ _-suna needs to leave for school in thirty-four minutes, Yuuto~_ ”

“WHAT!” Yuuto croaks out and shoots up in bed, suddenly wide awake.

“Tsuna’s school starts soon~” Reborn says, quickly moving away from him so as not to get knocked over, when Yuuto jumps from bed at the other's reply. He glances to his clock and scowls at the numbers on the device. Reborn isn't wrong. Why hadn’t his alarm gone off? Had he slept through it? If so, that's weird. Yuuto isn't a deep sleeper and his alarm is fairly loud too. He'll have to check the clock over later, maybe it's batteries are dead or something.

“Is Tsuna already awake?! I better go wake him fast!”

“He’s awake.”

Yuuto's already out of the bedroom when Reborn replies to him, pausing at his nephew’s open door. “Tsuna! You need to get ready for sch— Oh.”

 

* * *

 

“M-Morning!” Tsuna glances up from his backpack to his uncle, already in his school uniform and freshly showered. “You’re up before me?” Yuuto questions him. “U-uh, yeah... d-decided to get up early on my own, haha...” He nervously mumbles in reply and though his uncle doesn't notice Reborn pausing behind the man in the shadows of the hallway, Tsuna does and the sudden evil eye he's given makes him gulp.

The message is clear. Tell Yuuto about this morning with the dogs, and he's dead. 

“ _Uh-huh_. Why didn’t you wake me up?” His uncle crosses his arms, tone disbelieving as the adult fixes him with a look. “Uhm, y-you seemed tired! S-so I thought to let you sleep...” Tsuna responds quickly, shaking his hands back-and-forth as if that will convince his uncle more. Reborn nods after a moment and then disappears, satisfied with his answer.

“ _Mmm_...” Yuuto hums, squinting at him but Tsuna guesses the man isn't going to call him out on the obvious lie.

“Next time wake me up sooner. Reborn woke me up with just enough time to spare to make breakfast.” His uncle admonishes lightly then turns to leave, quickly heading down the rest of the hallway and towards the kitchen.

 

* * *

 

“Alright, what did you do.”  
“Made myself a drink~”  
“Don’t get cute with me, Reborn. Tsuna never wakes up before me on his own, not unless someone else wakes him. So, what’d you do?”

Reborn sips his freshly made espresso, blinking at Yuuto with a slow and calm gaze. “He was awake and showering when I woke up a bit earlier.” He says with a shrug, making sure his voice conveys confusion and internally crows when Yuuto falters. Reborn's an _excellent_ liar and performer. There wasn’t anyway Yuuto, being so untrained in spotting subtle physical and verbal cues, would catch him in an act if Reborn's actually putting forth an effort into it.

Really, if he hadn’t become a hitman he could have been an actor.

Yuuto squints at him, clearly trying to determine if he's being truthful, and Reborn can tell when the man gives up by the way his shoulders slope downwards just a fraction. He hides his victorious smirk behind the large mug clutched in his tiny grasp. “... Hm... well, there’s a first for everything...” Yuuto mumbles as the man heads to the refrigerator and opens it. “What are you making?” Reborn asks after a moment, actually curious. Yuuto has proven to be a fairly good cook so far, but he supposes that's only natural if you're a single parent. Especially one with this man’s tenacity to care good care of his nephew.

“Something quick for the boys so they can eat fast... what do you want?”

Now it was Reborn’s turn to falter. Not once has Yuuto offered to make him something, he's just eaten whatever the man makes and puts on the table. “... Can you make brioche?” Reborn questions.

“I have no idea what that is. I'll have to look up a recipe for it and make it after Tsuna and Gokudera leave for school, but sure. I’ll give it a go.” Yuuto replies as he pulls various ingredients from the fridge and then heads to one of the counters.

“Let’s save it for another day then. I want to accompany Tsuna to school today.”

 

* * *

 

“— _ambo_... Lambo...”

Lambo yawns and swats at the hand trying to wake him, grumbling about not wanting to get up.

“Lambo, wake up. It’s time for breakfast—"

That has the child shooting up from the couch and flinging the blanket off of himself. “ _LAMBO WANTS CAKE!_ ” He squeals, finger pointing at the ceiling and wide awake. Mr. Tanaka stares at him flatly and then shakes his head, “No. No cake. You’re eating _breakfast_ , not dessert.”

“Then Lambo wants french toast! With lots of syrup! _Oh!_ And chocolate chip pancakes!” Lambo changes tracks quickly, naming typical dessert-like breakfast foods. Mr. Tanaka sighs and stares up at the ceiling. “No. You will eat what I’ve prepared, understand?” The adult finally says and looks back at him, arms crossing. Lambo crosses his own and pouts, eyeing Mr. Tanaka dubiously.

“Fine, what is it?”  
“Natto and a fried egg on rice, with miso soup.”  
“ _Blegh!_ That sounds gross!”  
“Will you at least try it?”  
“No! Lambo doesn’t like it!”  
“Have you ever eaten it before?”  
“... No...”  
“How do you know you don’t like it, if you’ve never tried it?”  
“... The Great Lambo still doesn't want to eat it!” 

The man rubs the bridge of his nose and mutters something under his breath. Lambo’s pretty sure he heard something like ‘why am I putting up with this again?’ and he’s not sure what Mr. Tanaka is talking about, but no way is he eating this natto-egg-rice thing. “You won’t get any candy until you eat breakfast, and you’re eating what I made, young man.” Mr. Tanaka finally says and Lambo huffs as he stomps his foot onto the couch cushion.

“NO!”  
“Lambo—”  
“NO! _NO!_ LAMBO WANTS FRENCH TOAST!”  
“ _Bovino Lambo, sit down this instant_.”

He shrinks back at Mr. Tanaka’s tone of voice and when the adults continues to silently stare at him, he actually sits, twiddling his thumbs and averting his eyes. Suddenly, Mr. Tanaka is kind of scary and Lambo feels like he’s disappointed the adult.

“Now, let’s try this again. What are you going to do when we go to the kitchen?”

Lambo shakes his head, bottom lip poking out.

“Lambo... what are you going to do?”  
“L-Lambo is gonna e-eat the food Mr. Tanaka made...”  
“And why is he going to do that?”  
“Because Mr. Tanaka is a meani—”  
“ _Lambo._ ”  
“... B-Because Mr. Tanaka s-said so.”  
“That’s right. Now come on, food’s getting cold.”

Lambo sniffles and jumps off the couch, following the man into the kitchen.

 

* * *

 

“Morning, uh... Lambo...” Tsuna greets as he places his dishes in the sink. Hayato and him had just finished eating when his uncle had gone to wake up the newest addition in their household. The little boy ignores him as he tries to climb up one of the kitchen chairs with a mulish expression, and Tsuna's uncle has to come over and hoist the boy up to place him in a seat. If Yuuto hadn’t have done that, Lambo might have fallen trying to get up. 

“You guys should leave now or you’ll be late. I’ll handle the rest of the dishes. Don’t forget your lunches.” Yuuto gestures towards the two bento boxes on the counter as he takes a seat at the table. How his uncle had whipped up fully made lunches in the span of twenty minutes while Hayato and him ate their breakfast, Tsuna doesn’t know. “Thank you for the food so much, Mr. Tanaka!” Hayato says and dips his head low, nearly going into a bow, and Tsuna laughs awkwardly at the annoyed expression Yuuto makes. He’s really got to get Hayato to stop being so overbearingly respectful. Tsuna’s uncle isn’t someone who responds to that kind of stuffy formal thing very well.

“Uh... _yeah_. You’re welcome, kid.” His uncle murmurs, pulling out his phone and scrolling through something, probably emails. Yuuto is usually always going through them. Apparently being a business adviser and analyst is busy work, even if his uncle has started working from home now due to Reborn.

Tsuna grabs his lunch and gives a one-armed hug to his uncle on the way out. “Thanks! Gonna go now! Bye!”

“Bye, kiddo. Have a nice day~” Yuuto responds absently, waving at him as he leaves the kitchen. Tsuna hears the clink of more dishes being put in the sink and Hayato thanking his uncle again, say goodbye, and then sprint after him. “Is your uncle sure he doesn’t want help with the dishes?” Hayato asks, expression worried and Tsuna nods, “Yeah. If he says it’s fine, then it’s fine!”

“Right...” The silver-haired teen mumbles, expression still worried.

Tsuna opens the front door and steps outside, “Besides, if we stay we’ll definitely be late. We have maybe ten minutes to get to school before the first bell rings!” He adds rapidly and Hayato nods at his words, the other teen pulling his backpack over one shoulder as they take off.

It’s a good thing the apartment is so close to Namimori Middle. If they run they'll make it there in ten minutes!

 

* * *

 

“Lambo. Eat all of your food.”

The little boy glares at what's left in his bowl and whines, “But Lambo doesn’t want anymoreeee!” Yuuto taps the table and pointedly stares at the food still there. “Eat all of it, or no candy later.” He says flatly.

“B-but you promised you’d get Lambo grape candy!”

“ _Ah-ah_... I said I’d get the candy. I didn’t say I’d give it to you. If you want your candy, then you earn it.” And here come the waterworks.

“ _B-BUT Y-YOU PROMISED L-LAMBO!_ ”

“I’m leaving.” Reborn says suddenly and  hops from the table, having finished eating earlier, making a beeline for the living room. The hitman pauses at the kitchen’s doorway and sends a brief smirk Yuuto’s way, “Have _fun_ , Yuuto~” then pointedly stares at Lambo before disappearing from sight. Yuuto gives a brief wave, scowl on his face as he grumbles under his breath, “ _Asshole._ ” The sound of front door opening and closing not a moment later filters into the kitchen. 

“Y-YOU PROMISED!”

Setting his phone down, Yuuto blankly watches Lambo continue crying. He’s fairly certain that it’s crocodile tears and gives the little boy another minute. Sure enough, the crying dies down quickly after a moment of him not responding to it. “You done?” He asks, brow raised and Lambo just glares at him, wiping at his nose and eyes. “Y-you promised.” The kid huffs and crosses his arms. “You know your face could get stuck if you keep it that way for too long.” Yuuto drawls, eyeing the ridiculous pout Lambo is sporting. “W-what... L-Lambo’s face...” The shocked expression he gets is hilarious and Yuuto chuckles, shaking his head.

“No, no, I’m just joking. Now, c’mon. Let’s go get the candy and if you’re good... I’ll let you have some right away.”  
“ _YOU WILL!?_ ”

Yuuto flinches slightly at the excited shout and motions at Lambo, “Indoor voice, kid, indoor voice.” The little boy actually looks a bit abashed but that quickly fades into a wide and excited grin.

“LET’S GO! THE GREAT LAMBO WANTS GRAPE CANDY!”  
“Yeah, yeah... _I know._ ”

 

* * *

 

 _Almost there, almost there, almost the-- Oh, Reborn._  Tsuna stumbles as he registers the hitman landing on his head. “R-Reborn?” He questions, glancing up even though he can't see the other at this angle. “Keep going, Tsuna. You’re almost there.”

_Yes. I know that. Thank you for pointing out the obviou —_

“ _OWOWOWOW!_ W-why are you pulling my hair!?”  
“I can feel your sarcasm, Tsunayoshi.”

Tsuna huffs and keeps walking down the sidewalk. He can see Hayato up ahead, the other teen waiting at the crosswalk for him. Just one more block and they'll be at school on time! He's a bit disappointed he hasn’t run into Ryohei or Takeshi on the way, especially Takeshi. The baseball lover has a tendency to be a few minutes late, due to helping his father open their family's sushi restaurant in the mornings, but it looks like Tsuna's going to be the last to arrive at school this time... well, Hayato and him.

“ _STOP!_ ”

Tsuna nearly trips as someone yells at him, emerging from a side street and holding a hand out in front of them. It's a girl and Tsuna feels his face flush. Why is a girl stopping him? This is the first time anything like this had ever happened. Is this— is this the fabled confession he's heard other teenagers talk? Is she going to give him a letter pronouncing that she likes him like in all those movies and shows Tsuna's watched!?

“U-Uh, can I h-help yo—”  
“HELLO, CUTIE!” 

Tsuna’s face turns tomato red and he opens his mouth, another ‘what?’ on his lips when he realizes the girl isn't focusing or speaking to him. She's speaking to the top of his head.

She's speaking to Reborn.

 

* * *

 

Haru gazes longingly at the little baby perched on the teenager’s fluffy head. He's so cute in his little suit and hat! She wonders how he has such a good balance and squints at the boy she told to stop. “Are you making sure he doesn’t fall!” She demands and takes a step forwards. The brown-haired boy jolts, as if surprised she's talking to him.

“ _Huh?_ ”  
“Haru asked if you’re making sure the cute baby doesn’t fall! It’s dangerous to let little kids stay up that high. Haru bets your father would be ashamed!”  
“M-my father?” 

Haru rolls her eyes and makes to step forward again when someone grabs her arm, yanking her back.

“Oi, what the hell do you think yo— _ACK!_ ” She spins on her heel and smacks the other teenager, who grabbed her arm, right across the face. “ _Hahi!_ How dare you use language like that around a baby!” Haru hisses, glaring at the silver-haired boy clutching his cheek.

“What the hell, you crazy bitch— _AGH!_ ” She smacks him again and turns to look back at the other boy with the baby. “Haru can’t believe you’re friends with someone who would talk like this around your cute baby brother!”

 

* * *

 

Tsuna can only stare at the girl, Haru, in dumbfounded silence. Is... is she serious? Did she just call Reborn his cute baby brother?! As in the evil goblin baby from his nightmares, _Reborn?_

“R-Reborn’s not my broth—”  
“Tsuna's my big brother~”

He mouth snaps shut at Reborn’s voice, all thought halting completely. What... the hitman can't be serious. They don't even remotely look-a-like. “ _Reborn, what are you doing?_ ” Tsuna whispers backing up a step from the girl when she moves towards him again, only to be stopped by Hayato.

“The hitman isn’t Tsuna’s brother, you dumb girl!”  
“Hahi! You can’t call Haru dumb!”  
Slap.  
“ _OW —_”  
“And hitman? What violent games are you two stupid boys teaching this cute baby!?” 

Hayato growls and Tsuna sees him reach into his jacket, “Now you listen here, girl! You’re talking to the future Deci—” Tsuna rushes forwards, past Haru and slams his hand over Hayato’s mouth. Reborn had decided that Tsuna needed a reminder about the laws in the underworld, which he was told about during the beginning history lessons on the Mafia. The dogs snapping at Tsuna’s heels this morning only reinforced all of it in in the boy’s mind. He's not dumb either. Tsuna knows that Reborn’s decision to painfully remind him of those laws was due to whatever happened with his uncle and Misumi yesterday.

Shouldn’t Hayato know these laws too? Wait, what was he thinking... the other teen was probably going to blow the girl up with dynamite. No need to keep quiet about something if you just killed the person who heard, right? “W-what my friend means to say is that my... _baby brother_ ,—” Tsuna grits the words out, uneasy smile on his face, “—accidentally saw some of a movie about h-hitmen and w-we’re just playing along until he gets it out of his system!” He lies through his teeth, praying she believes him. _Please believe me, please believe me_ —

Haru’s eyes narrow and she crosses her arms. Uh-oh... Tsuna's seen that look before on Misumi’s face when the woman's been annoyed with Yuuto before. “Haru doesn’t believe you. Haru wants to talk to your father.”

What does she mean by father? Iemitsu wasn— Oh.... does she mean Yuuto? Crap. Why isn’t Reborn saying anything? As if on cue, the hitman speaks.

“Big brother Tsuna needs to hurry to school. _He’s late~_ ”

The school bell chimes not a second later but Tsuna doesn't get a chance to move as Haru suddenly leans into his space, making Hayato snarl at her unintelligibly. Tsuna's still covering the other teen's mouth, worried that Hayato will say something else or try to throw dynamite at the girl. She makes a cooing noise, so close to Tsuna’s face that he can make out her eyelashes.

“Oh, he’s so well-spoken! Let Haru hold him! You stupid boys shouldn’t be taking him to your school anyways. Haru can take him back to your home. She knows where you live.”

“E-excuse me? Y-you know where I live!?” Tsuna gapes, leaning back into Hayato. How does she know where he lives? He’s never met this girl in his life and she's not in a Namimori Middle uniform, so it’s not like she knows him from school. The bell goes off in the distance again. Crap! They're going to be late! “S-SORRY! GOTTA GO! BYE!” Tsuna shouts into Haru's face when she reachs for Reborn, who is still perched on his head, nearly knocking Tsuna over in the process.

Grabbing Hayato’s hand, Tsuna books it int the direction of their school, dragging the other teen with him.

“H-HEY! DON’T YOU RUN FROM HARU!”

 

* * *

 

Lazily, he watches the school entrance from where he's lounging in a tree, tonfa lightly swinging from his hands. The Little Animal and Silver Baboon are late. Kyouya’s eyes narrow as he hears shouting down in the street and not a second later Tsunayoshi emerges, dragging Gokudera behind him. Yawning, Kyouya sits up on the rather large tree branch he had been stretched out on. Time to go remind Tsunayoshi and that annoying Baboon just what happens if you're la— _Who is that._

Kyouya stares and leans forward, gaze pinned to the unfamiliar girl giving chase to the two teenage boys. She's not in a Namimori Middle uniform, and he can't make out what the symbol is on her shirt. Kyouya growls low in his throat... _he doesn't recognize her._

He knows all the students of Namimori Middle, has their faces memorized. This girl doesn't belong and if she sets one foot over the threshold, she’ll learn that fact the hard way. Slipping from his perch, Kyouya lands with barely a sound and stalks towards the school's entrance. He arrives just as Tsunayoshi and Gokudera stumble into the school grounds.

“ _S-SORRY KYOUYA! CAN’T TALK! LET’S DO THE PART WHERE YOU SCARE ME LATER!_ ” Tsunayoshi shouts as he shoots past, dragging Gokudera the entire way, who is yelling about blowing the rude girl up. Kyouya watches them pass and dismisses them from his mind, as he can get them both later. Turning his attention to the approaching girl, Kyouya crosses his arms and waits. She's not stopping and he can feel a tiny smirk barely tug at the edge of his lips.

He hopes she crosses the school line.

“ _GET BACK HERE YOU STUPID BOYS!_ GIVE HARU THE BABY! YOU’RE ALL BAD INFLUENCES!” She screeches and Kyouya mentally files her away as a Howler Monkey. She's so close... just a few more steps and — He lunges, tonfa whistling through the air as the other teenager steps over the line separating the school from the rest of Namimori. When she dodges backwards quickly, Kyouya feels the smirk actually grow larger on his lips. He hadn’t expected that.

“H-HAHI! WHY DID YOU TRY TO HIT HARU!?” The Howler Monkey shouts in surprise, stumbling back a step as Kyouya advances on her. “You’re trespassing on Namimori Middle grounds,—” He eyes the symbol on her uniform, ”—Midori Middle is near the other side of town.”

“Haru doesn’t care! She’s here for that boy’s little baby brother! So get out of the way!”

Tsunayoshi’s little brother? Did she mean the false baby?  
Kyouya wants to snort but refrains, predators such as himself don’t reveal what they were thinking nor feeling to their prey. “You’re loud.” He hisses, watching in satisfaction as the girl shivers and backs away more at his dark tone. “H-Haru will... Haru will fight you for the baby!” The Howler Monkey stubbornly shouts, stance shifting as she glares at him. Kyouya can at least admire a determination like that, even if this little herbivore had no idea the caliber of a carnivore they're provoking.

“For disturbing the peace, I will bite you to death~” He grins, eyes sharpening as he lunges forwards. The other teenager attempts to block and Kyouya nearly purrs when she cries out as his tonfa snaps against her knuckles. How interesting, she actually managed to stop his forward momentum. The Howler Monkey jumps back, cradling her hand as her gaze goes past him to the school for a moment then back Kyouya's face. “H-Haru will be back! Mark her words!” She yells and runs, shouting about not giving up on getting the false baby.

He can't help the pang of disappointment that rings through him at the other teenager's retreat. He can't chase after her, not with it currently being school hours. Expression growing bored, Kyouya fishes his phone out of his pocket and sends a mass text out.

' _Disciplinary Committee members, be on lookout for a female Howler Monkey. Goes by the name Haru, surname unknown. Brown eyes and hair, pulled back into a ponytail. Goes to Midori Middle. Found chasing the Little Animal and Silver Baboon, last seen running from Namimori Middle grounds. Report to pack leader if you gain or have any information._ '

A chorus of 'Yes Sirs' flood his inbox and Kyouya silences his phone before the constant dings can start to annoy him. With his pack now informed and on the hunt for him, he turns on his heel and stalks towards the school building. Time to go find the Little Animal and the Baboon, he still needed to bite them to death for being late.

Kyouya might even throw in some extra bites for dragging that Howler Monkey into his territory.

 

* * *

 

“I can’t believe that girl... I’m so sorry I didn’t shut her up, Tsuna!”  
“I-It’s okay, Hayato... _uhm_ , please don’t try and shut people up for me?”

Ryohei perks up at his locker and looks around the metal door. Tsuna's here now and doesn’t look worse for wear, which means Kyouya had either let him go for being late or they hadn’t crossed paths yet. He'ss going to bet on the former as the prefect has a soft spot for their small friend. “Tsuna! Hayato!” Ryohei shouts, slamming his locker shut and jogging over to them with a wave.

Hayato bristles at him and hisses out, “Don’t use my first name! We aren’t friends!”

“But Tsuna and you have become extreme friends, right? You used his first name!”  
“ _T-That’s different!_ ”  
“ _Nope!_ If Tsuna chose you as his friend, then that means we’re EXTREMELY friends now, Hayato!”  
“N-NO WE’RE NOT, IDIOT-BOXER!”

Ryohei just grins widely at Hayato. The flush on other's face is adorable and eventually Hayato will learn that once you became Tsuna’s friend, you were his friend.

It might take Takeshi longer to come around to accepting the silver-haired teenager into their circle though. Ryohei had heard all about the baseball lover’s indignation about the early treatment of Tsuna before Hayato had a change of heart on the same day. The fact that Hayato was living with Tsuna only seemed to make Takeshi’s mood about the whole thing even more sour.

But Ryohei was glad the other boy was on his way to becoming their friend, he could tell Hayato was a good person even if the other teen had a prickly exterior.

“ _STOP GRINNING YOU WEIRDO!_ ”

He laughs and gives Hayato a friendly smack on the shoulder.

 

* * *

 

Kyouya had to wait on going after the Little Animal and the Silver Baboon, as they were already in class and the prefect wasn’t going to interrupt. It was one of the classes with a better teacher. If it had been Mr. Nezu’s class, he would have dragged both teens out for their punishment by their hair. Mr. Nezu was a _useless_ teacher. Kyouya needed to get his mother to do something about that man, she had power over the Board of Education after all.

Since he couldn’t go dole out their punishment just yet, he had gone to the roof to take a nap and it's the school bell ringing for lunch that wakes him. Kyouya stretches in the patch of sunlight he had been sleeping in, one eye opening to lazily stare at the sky.

He’ll wait up here. Tsuna’s friend group always eats on the roof.

 

* * *

 

“I-I had no idea what that question on the quiz meant... thanks for telling me, Hayato!”  
“O-Of course, Tsuna!”  
“Haha~ You sure know your stuff, octopus-head.”  
“That’s because I’m not a baseball-idiot like you!”

Ryohei lags behind the two teens, Tsuna beside him, as they make their way up the stairs to the roof. It's been kind of amusing to watch Takeshi subtly needle Hayato ever since the other teen started hanging out with them.

He wonders when Takeshi would stop playing up his act of being a simple fool though. Probably soon. Ryohei knows that, with Tsuna accepting Hayato as his friend, Takeshi would drop it to show the silver-haired teen just what group he was messing with, make sure he understood. He'll  leave it in his friend's hands to do that. If Hayato doesn't heed Takeshi's warning, then his friend would let him know and they'd deal with it. God knows Kyouya was itching to smash Hayato's face in. Apparently the prefect was still grumpy about the crater in the school's grounds.

It might upset Tsuna, but all three boys had dealt with far too many problem people trying to mess with their smaller friend, and them by proxy, to let one into their circle if Hayato proved to be just that.

And if they couldn't get the bomber gone, then Tsuna's uncle could. It wouldn't be the first time one of them had gone to the man to tell him of someone bothering his nephew, or even one of them.

They make it to the rooftop door and Takeshi starts to push it open, laughing at the threats Hayato is spitting out. “G-Guys, pleas—” Tsuna begins but a cold voice cuts through the atmosphere of the roof as their group emerges outside.

“Little Animal.”

Tsuna freezes.

“Silver Baboon.”

Gokudera bristles.

“For being late, I will have to bite you to death.”

Ryohei feels a giddy excitement race through him at that voice. Kyouya's on the roof! Even better, the prefect is doing his ‘bite to death’ thing. That means he’ll spar with Ryohei! “KYOUYA! WHY DON’T WE EXTREMELY SPA—” He leans back, avoiding the vicious strike of a tonfa aimed at his person. It clips the wall and Kyouya glares at him, irritated that he dodged. “What have I said about using my name, herbivore?” The prefect hisses and the other teens around them start inching away, towards the other end of the roof.

That's fine. Ryohei did interrupt Kyouya partially to keep him from punishing Tsuna and Hayato. Their smaller friend had told both Takeshi and him, during a break period in class, about the girl that made them late and Ryohei thinks it's extremely unfair of Kyouya to blame them for situations that were out of their control.

And if there was one way to completely sidetrack Hibari Kyouya, it was by calling him his first name when you didn’t have permission. Especially if that someone was Ryohei.

 

* * *

 

Tsuna sighs and stares at the other side of the roof. He probably shouldn’t have chosen to eat up here, Kyouya usually takes his daily naps in this location. At least Ryohei distracted the prefect from biting him and Hayato to death though. He winces as one of those tonfas slaps loudly against the boxer’s shoulders. Tsuna has no idea how Ryohei can take blows like that and not flinch at all.

Fishing his lunch from his backpack, Tsuna sits down, Takeshi and Hayato following suit.  
“H-how long do you think they’ll keep that up, Takeshi?”  
“Heh... well, Ryohei hasn’t gotten to spar with Hibari in a couple of weeks. Might take all of lunch period.”  
“R-Right...”

Stuffing a bite of takoyaki in his mouth, Tsuna starts to ask, “How’s baseball goin— _ACK!_ ” and nearly chokes as something kicks him in the cheek. “Don’t talk with your mouth full, Tsunayoshi.” Reborn lightly lands on the ground and, while Tsuna coughed up bits of takoyaki from his lungs, swipes his lunch from his hands.

“H-hey, Reb—” Cough. “—Reborn! Give me my lunch back!” Tsuna exclaims but the hitman ignores him. _Typical_. “It’s okay, Tsuna! I’ll give you mine — oh...” Hayato begins, rummaging in his backpack only to stare mournfully into it. “Uh... Hayato?” Tsuna questions. The other teen looks really upset all the sudden.

“I... I forgot to grab the lunch your uncle prepared for us.” Hayato whispers and glances at him. “I-I’m so sorry, Tsuna! I can’t believe I forgot something like that!”

Before the teen can go into one of his ‘sorry’ episodes, a loud shout from the other side of the roof attracts everyone’s attention and gaze. Ryohei has Kyouya in a headlock, and the prefect is snarling at him with vicious intent. “You should join them.” Reborn suddenly says and Tsuna’s head whips towards the hitman. The jerk has almost eaten all of his lunch already!

“W-what? N-no way!”  
“Yes.”  
“N-No, Rebor— _REBORN NO!_ ”

Tsuna squeals as he's sent flying by a kick from the superhuman baby hitman and straight into the two sparring teenagers.

“ARE YOU EXTREMELY JOINING US, TSUNA?!”  
“I’ll bite you to death!”

 

* * *

 

Hayato scrambles to his feet, his boss's name on his lips, when he feels danger pass over his senses. “Interfere and I’ll shoot you.” The Sun Arcobaleno casually comments, watching Tsuna attempt to dodge both Hibari and Sasagawa as he screams at the top of his lungs. Hayato sits back down immediately, nervously watching the other side of the roof.

“Haha, they look like they’re having fun~” Yamamoto murmurs next to him, and Hayato nearly jumps out of his skin. He had forgotten the baseball-idiot was there. “You’re stupid.” Hayato grunts mulishly, not removing his gaze from the three other teens. It grows quiet on their side, only broken by the screams of Tsuna and excited shouts of Sasagawa, and his stomach starts to clench after a moment. He can't believe he forgot the lunch Mr. Tanaka made. He’ll have to apologize to the adult and eat it tonight so as not to be wasteful.

The smell of fish and teriyaki sauce assaults his nose suddenly and Hayato can't help the quick glance over to the teenager beside him. Yamamoto has sushi, and it looks well-made too.

Hayato’s stomach loudly growls, and he looks away with a scowl twisting his lips. _Damn_.

“Here.”

He blinks at the sushi that is suddenly in his face, eyes trailing from it to the hand holding the chopsticks and then to Yamamoto. His scowl deepens, “I don’t want it.”

Hayato's stomach choses to growl again right after he says that and Yamamoto laughs, “You sure~?” then sways the piece of sushi back-and-forth. It's tempura. _Double damn_. “Trying to make it through a school day on an empty stomach is killer~” The other teen adds when Hayato just stares at the piece of food in silence for a few moments.

“O-Okay.” He finally grumbles and Yamamoto brightens then holds the sushi up closer to his mouth. “I-I’m not eating it from your damn chopsticks, baseball-idiot!” Hayato stammers, tilting his head away from the tempting food.

“Why not?”  
“Wha— because it’s been in your stupid mouth!”  
“Soooo?”

Hayato glares flatly at the other teenager. If this idiot thinks he's going to eat off of used chopsticks, then Yamamoto has another thing coming— his stomach rumbles loudly once again and he winces. “ _Fuck it_. Fine.” Hayato grumbles and opens his mouth. He's too hungry to put up a protest anymore at food, especially if it's free.

When Yamamoto presses the piece of tempura into his mouth, Hayato briefly has a thought of biting through the chopsticks. It’d be worth it to be petty like that. “Pretty good, right?” The other teens asks him. Yamamoto's eyes say he already knows the answer and Hayato grunts at him as he chews. It is good.

 _It's really good_.

He eyes the rest of what he can see, his stomach agreeing with the thought of just taking the food and running, but there's a question on his mind.

“Why are you giving me your food... I don’t need pity, especially not from an _idiot_ like you.” Hayato asks, brow furrowed as Yamamoto holds another piece up for him. “You’re Tsuna’s _friend_ now, and my dad’s sushi is the best. Everyone should try it at least once.” Yamamoto shrugs, stuffing a piece of unagi in Hayato’s mouth when he opens it to ask something else.

 

* * *

 

Lunch period was finally over, the bell signalling it's end ringing out across the school. The five teenagers on the roof slowly start packing up, getting ready to head back to their classes. Tsuna cannot feel half his body and he’s pretty sure his bruises now have bruises.

“Your dodging needs work, Tsuna.”

He shoots Reborn a glare as he limps towards his backpack. “I-It’s your fault I even needed to dodge in the first place!” Tsuna grumbles as he picks his backpack up and slings it over his shoulder. If the hitman hadn’t _literally_ kicked him into Ryohei and Kyouya’s fight, he wouldn’t be in this state.

“You need to learn how your future guardians fight, and how you can fit yourself with them. The best way is to spar with or against them, experience how they move and think when in controlled situations like that.” Reborn says and leaps onto his shoulder. How the hitman could jump that high, Tsuna doesn't know. Sure, Tsuna's short for his age, _but he's not that short_. Huffing under his breath, Tsuna starts to follow his friends to the rooftop door. Kyouya had disappeared as soon as the bell rang, looking like a light breeze had ruffled the prefect instead of going toe-to-toe with Ryohei. The boxer, on the other hand, has bruises littering his arms and Tsuna's sure there are more under the other teen's school shirt.

“If you learn your guardian’s way of fighting, learn how to fight alongside them, that won’t happen again.” Reborn murmurs next to his ear, eyes fixed to the darkening bruise on the underside of Ryohei’s jaw and Tsuna winces, feeling guilt rise in him.

The older teenager had gotten that by pushing him out of the way of a harsh blow from Kyouya that Tsuna stumbled into. The hit was at a strength meant for the boxer, not for him, and it would have done a lot more damage to the smaller teen than it would have to Ryohei if he had gotten hit.

 

* * *

 

Takeshi pulls his backpack onto his shoulder, following Gokudera towards the exit. He's pretty sure Ryohei knows exactly what he's about to do when he catches the boxer's eye, and the other teen ushers Tsuna past the rooftop door and down the stairs. The moment Ryohei's voice becomes muffled, Takeshi grabs Gokudera by the collar of his shirt and drags him out of the stairwell, shoving the other teen against the wall by the rooftop door.

“What the fuc—”

“Just because Tsuna has accepted you as his friend, doesn't mean we do.” Takeshi murmurs, pinning the other teen in place. “Like I need your acceptance, and Sasagawa seems to be fine with it!” Gokudera snarls, glowering darkly at him.

“Ryohei's more willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt if Tsuna likes them. Hibari and I aren't.”  
"Pfft! Like I care?"  
"You will if you want to remain Tsuna's friend."

Gokudera shoves at him but Takeshi has the height advantage and shoves right back, keeping the other teen in place. “The moment you arrived here, you’ve been rude to us, not to mention when you bullied Tsuna that first day. You may have changed your tune quickly towards Tsuna, but it was only when he proved to be worth something in your eyes.” Takeshi mutters, voice flat and gaze hard.

Gokudera squirms and starts to say something but Takeshi doesn't want to hear angry retorts. He wants the other teenager to shut up and listen. He presses Gokudera further against the wall, hissing the rest of what he wants to say in a low tone. “Shut it. I don’t know if you’re only befriending him because of the connections to this Vongola thing, but if you’re only using Tsuna for your own gain... if you aren’t sincere in wanting to be his friend, in wanting to be a part of our circle...” Takeshi leans in, his eyes sharp and a half-smile that doesn't have any of his usual friendly demeanor in it curls his lips.

“You won’t last here. We'll make sure of it.”

Gokudera's wide-eyed silence lets him know his message was received and he lets the grip he had on the other's shirt go. Takeshi leans back, his expression smoothing out and smile softening just a bit.

“But if you’re sincere... then prove it, to all of us. You won’t get very far if you can’t accept Tsuna’s other friends, you know.”

 

* * *

 

Hayato watches Yamamoto disappear down the stairs, still pressed against the wall the other teen shoved him against.

Tsuna’s uncle was easy to understand as the choice for Lightning guardian.

Hayato had reacted so violently when Mr. Tanaka entered the apartment that day, partially because the man was an unknown, but mostly because of the lightning flames just below the surface of Mr. Tanaka’s skin. They were raw and untrained, but the zing of electricity that zipped up Hayato’s spine as they had glared at each other told him the adult could fry him, even without training. 

However, Hayato hadn’t understood why the Sun Arcobaleno had chosen Tsuna’s friends as his guardian candidates when he first arrived. Sure they were close to the Vongola heir, but they were civilians and their cores were still dormant.

But after the gut punch he received from the boxer that first day, he had begun to understand those choices. Sasagawa Ryohei had untapped strength that could be monstrous, and the source of sleeping sun in his core was powerful, with a leaning towards healing if the way the boxer could shrug off hits was any indication. Hayato was sure the boxing teen would be a tank with the right training.

The prefect was easier. There was a predatory intensity to Hibari Kyouya and the skill with his tonfas was formidable, not to mention that Hayato was fairly certain the other teenager had recently awakened his flames. It was hard to tell as Hayato wasn't all that great at flame sensing. He had wondered why Hibari hadn’t already become Tsuna’s guardian, but... the prefect was a Cloud. That explained everything.

And watching those Sasagawa and Hibari spar against each other just proved that they had loads of potential.

He hadn’t understood Yamamoto Takeshi though, had thought that the hitman’s choice for Rain was terrible... until now. He shouldn’t have doubted the Sun Arcobaleno’s choice in the first place. The way Yamamoto stared him down with eyes and a smile just on the edge of being too sharp, something slightly dark lurking in the corners. The hints that Hayato wouldn't be the first person Tsuna's friends had gotten rid of—

“ _Hayato! Where are you?_ ” Tsuna’s voice echoes up the stairway and he peels himself from the wall, thoughts spinning. Was he... was he just using the other boy for his own gain? The image of Tsuna smiling at him and asking if they were friends flashes through his mind. No, he definitely wasn’t choosing to be friends with his boss because of Tsuna's connections to Vongola.

But was that what everyone else thought?

“ _H-Hayato?! Class starts in four minutes!_ ”  
“W _E’LL BE EXTREMELY LATE IF WE WAIT ANY LONGER, HAYATO!_ ”  
“ _Heh, maybe he got lost on his way down?_ ”  
“SHUT IT, BASEBAL—YAMAMOTO!”

Yamamoto did have a point. Maybe he was being too hostile to the other teens around Tsuna. They all had been friends with his boss for much longer than he has even known Tsuna, and they might be civilians but... Hayato's beginning to see just what they might become with training.

He’d prove that he was genuine in his friendship, that he was worthy of being in Tsuna’s circle, that they could trust him.

 

* * *

 

“ _Lambo?_ ”

Yuuto glances around, looking high and low for the little boy. 

They were on their way back from errands as Yuuto had decided to get some extra shopping out of the way before getting the candy the little boy wanted, it’d teach Lambo some patience to have to wait like that. The places he had needed to go today were within an easy walking distance from the apartment and so he decided to walk... it had been a mistake to not take the car. Lambo turned out to be nearly impossible to control. Half the time they had been out was spent chasing the child around and it was now almost four because of that!

Yuuto had just gotten the boy to settle down, after being given a grape lollipop, when he had looked away for a moment. When he looked back, the kid was gone.

“Lambo!” He calls out, turning in a full circle. Dammit, he knew he shouldn’t have looked away.

 

* * *

 

“S-shouldn’t I tell Takeshi, Ryohei and Kyouya about the, uhm... the laws, Reborn?"

Tsuna had already said goodbye to both Ryohei and Takeshi. Their way home took them down a different path once their group got to a certain point, and he had only remembered that they didn't know of the laws in the underworld after he was already two blocks away from where they split off. And Kyouya hardly ever walks home, nor lives in the same direction as Tsuna and the rest of their friends, as the prefect has that elderly butler come and pick him up most of the time. 

Tsuna feels Reborn shift on his head at his question.

“You didn’t already?”  
“N-no...”  
“A Mafia boss should always make sure their subordinates know of all vital information.”  
“I-I had other things on my mind!”  
“For shame, Tsuna~”  
“Why couldn’t you tell them at lunch?!”  
“It’s not my job to inform _your_ guardians. It’s yours as their future boss and Sky.”  
“You told Yuuto!”  
“That was different, and _you_ should have told him sooner~”

Tsuna grumbles under his breath. Of course that would be Reborn’s answer. Why, oh, why couldn’t Reborn be less difficult? Seriously, would it kill the evil baby-man to do stuff that would make this easier on him? This law thing was important and yes, he should have told everyone sooner but he’s had other things on his mind! Reborn could have helped by telling them! What if his friends told someone? _What if they already had?!_

Well, actually, Kyouya was probably fine. Something about Hibari Asuka told him that the prefect already knew a lot of this stuff. But Ryohei and Takeshi could be in danger! He’d need to tell them soon and hope they kept their mouths shut since finding out. He’d tell them tomorrow! Sighing, Tsuna tugs his backpack higher up on his shoulders and turns a corner. Once again, he's lagging behind Hayato, who was waiting up ahead at a crosswalk.

He squints as his intuition starts to act up. Wasn’t this the same crosswalk as earlier this morn—

“ _HAHI! HARU FOUND YOU!_ ”

Great. The girl from earlier.

“ _DIE REBORN!_ ”

Awesome. Lambo was here too.

“Eh? Another cute baby?!”  
“GAHAHAHA!”

Tsuna stares as Lambo leaps from one of the stone walls along the sidewalk, grenades being flung towards Reborn and himself. The girl from this morning, Haru, is right in their path. _Oh no_. “LOOK OUT!” Tsuna yells and sprinted towards her. He closes his eyes as he collides with Haru, pushing them both to the ground.

Heat explodes from above, singeing his back as Tsuna covers the person below him.

 

* * *

 

“Good job, Tsunayoshi~ You saved the girl’s life and prevented her from learning anything.” Reborn remarks and Tsuna can barely able to hear the hitman's words due to the ringing in his ears. “W-what?” He questions and Reborn gestures at something below him. Looking down, Tsuna scrambles off of Haru quickly. He's knocked the girl out cold! She must have hit her head when he pushed her down. Oh god, what if he hurt her?!

“ _TSUNA!_ ” Hayato yells, footsteps ringing as the other runs over. “Are you okay, Tsuna? I’m gonna kill that stupid cow!”

“N-No, Hayato! I’m fine! Just a little singed!” Tsuna quickly reassures, hands fluttering uselessly around Haru. Should he move her? How hard did she hit her head? What if she has a concussion? Wasn’t it bad to move someone if they have a concussion? His uncle knows more about this stuff then Tsuna does, what does he do?!

“H-Hayato, how do I check for a concussion?”  
“H-huh? Who cares about the stupid girl, she deserved it—”  
“ _Hayato!_ ”

Tsuna stares atthe other with disappointment. Just because Haru was annoying didn’t mean she deserved being knocked out! Hayato scratches the back of his head and kneels down, apology falling from his lips.

Carefully, they turn the girl’s head and Tsuna breathes a sigh of relief as he gets a look at the back of Haru's skull. No blood.

“Hmm, doesn’t look like she was injured... she’ll probably just have a large bump on the back of her head for a few days, Tsuna.”  
“Oh, thank goodness. I was so w-worried she got hu—”

A wail sounds behind both boys.

“S-STUPID R-REBORN! _T-TAKE THIS!_ ”

There's the sound of something loudly booming and a plume of pink smoke blasts across the entire street, blinding everyone.

 

* * *

 

He coughes and waves at the smoke in his face, trying to squint past the pink clouding his vision. The bazooka always makes such an excessive amount. Slowly, he starts making out figures past the smog.

“ _W-what was that?!_ ” Oh, he knows that voice. It's younger sounding then he's used too, which means— “Sup, bro~” Lambo greets as a younger looking Tsuna comes into view.  
“B-bro?” The fluffy-haired teenager murmurs and stares at him with wide-eyes. “You don’t recognize me?” He smiles lazily, scratching the back of his head. “It’s Lambo~”

“L-Lambo?! But... but—”

It's starting to come back to him now. Man, he had been really young when the bazooka got used for the first time. “Wow, bro! I forgot how small and cute you were when we were this young...” Lambo teases and walks over to the other teen, tugging Tsuna into a hug. “I’m finally taller than yo—” He begins, tapping Tsuna’s forehead, when something yanks him back with an angry growl.

“Who the hell are you—”  
“Yo, Hayato~”

If seeing a younger Tsuna was nostalgic, then seeing this version of Hayato was even more of a trip. Lambo’s lazy grin grows as the bomber seems to falter, unsure of what to do with his sleepy expression and lax body language. Hayato was always more used to people reacting loudly and violently when he got in their face at this age.

“L-Lambo... is that really you?” Tsuna asks suddenly with a curious and xoncufsed expression. “Wha— Tsuna. There isn’t any way this guy could be the cow-brat. Lambo is five!” Hayato snarls.

A tiny, very familiar voice suddenly speaks up near the three teenagers.

“The Ten-Years Bazooka of the Bovino family. I can’t believe they gave such a thing to a stupid child.” And that's Reborn. Lambo’s brow ticks and he turns, shrugging Hayato off as he glares down at the hitman. Didn’t the bastard kick the younger version of him into the cement, causing him to use the bazooka for the first time?

Yes... yes, he did. Lambo definitely remembers that, and he remembers all the other times the Arcobaleno had been mean to his younger self. For crying out loud, the hitman was still a jerk to him back in the future!

“This time, Reborn! _I will get you this time!_ ”

 

* * *

 

The Bovino family had entrusted one of their rare time-traveling weapon into the hands of an idiot five-year old? Reborn seriously wonders about the intelligence of some of the famiglia’s Vongola is allied with as he stares at the teenage version of the Bovino brat.

Lambo pushes away from Tsuna and Gokudera, glare affixed to his face and Reborn's eyes narrow. He knows that glare, he has seen a version of it before, but where? Seeing it on this brat’s face irritates him. The teenager pulls a set of bullhorns out, Reborn doesn't want to know from where, and places them on his head. “Don’t underestimate me!” Lambo yells and charges, lightning flames arcing into and off the horns. With a roll of his eyes, Reborn side-steps and trips him. The Bovino brat is still a loud annoyance in the future apparently.

Lambo goes down with a yelp into a tumble of flailing limbs.

 

* * *

   
_Stupid Reborn!_

Lambo pushes himself onto his knees, wincing as his chin throbs. It must have gotten skinned from Reborn tripping him. Tears start to prick his eyes.

_No! Don’t cry! You're not a baby!_

Standing back up, he turns and starts up another charge into his horns. “I’LL GET YOU REBORN!” He shouts with determination. Lambo barely takes a step when a tiny foot collides with his jaw and he's sent sprawling backwards across the pavement of the street. His eyes roll in his head as he hears Tsuna shout his name but before he can get his aching jaw to cooperate to reply, Lambo feels a squeezing sensation across his entire body and pink floods his vision.

Smoke fades from his eyes, and Lambo coughs loudly as the kitchen at home comes into view. His younger self must have been brought here, because he had not been in this location when the squeezing sensation of the Ten-Years Bazooka started and whisked him back to his time period.

“ _Lambo?_ ”

The teen gets to his feet and turns around, opening his mouth to say something only to wince when the action causes pain. Lambo works his jaw back and forth, and tries again after a moment, “Hey dad, how was younger me?”

“Crying, but I calmed him before the bazooka switched you two back.” The man says and comes closer, tilting Lambo’s head to take a better look at his chin.

“Reborn’s handiwork?”  
“Tch... y-yeah.”  
“He got you good, kiddo...”

Lambo sniffles indignantly, feeling some tears prick his eyes. There wasn’t a way he could beat their Reborn but when he had seen the past version, Lambo had been filled with sudden hope that he could stand a chance and get the Arcobaleno back for being so mean to him for years. Apparently, he was still too weak... even against a past version of the damn hitman.

“H-he’s such an asshole in any time period!”  
“ _Language~_ ”  
“Y-you curse worse than I do, dad...”  
“And how would you know that?”  
“I-I... I’ve heard you before...”  
“ _Ah_... been spying?”  
“N-no!... Brother gets to curse!”  
“He’s an adult. You’re not~”

The man ruffles his hair with a laugh at the expression Lambo makes, and then asks, “This the first time the bazooka’s gone off?”

“Y-yeah...”  
“So, it’s starting then. Keep me posted when the bazooka gets used again on you and what’s going on back then, alright? I'll inform the others to start expecting visits to the past. ”  
“Okay...”  
“Now c’mon, lets get your chin cleaned up and go bother your brother.” His dad pats him on the back and as they leave the kitchen, a thought occurs to Lambo. He could remember from when he was younger, sometime after Dr. Shamal or Dino arrived, that Reborn’s behavior towards him toned down. There were only three people that could get the hitman to change his behavior like that. One of them was right next to him. “Did you ever get Reborn back for always being mean to younger me, dad?”

Yuuto snorts, a sly grin curling the adult's lips as he says, “Of course I did~”

 

* * *

 

Coughing, Yuuto waves his hand back and forth. Was this smoke? _Why the hell was it pink?_ He can barely see anything in this stuff but he could have sworn he heard Tsuna on this street, and that his nephew had yelled Lambo’s name. “Tsuna? Lambo?” He calls out, ineffectually trying to clear the smog out of his vision.

“Y-Yuuto?”  
“Eh? Where did the kitchen go?”

That was his nephew and Lambo, respectively. No one sounds upset or like they're hurt, so hopefully this pink smoke wasn’t dangerous. Still coughing, Yuuto makes his way further through the smog and nearly trips as he stumbles onto Lambo. The little boy child latches onto his leg and stares up at him in confusion. “Mr. Tanaka! Where did the kitchen go? You said you would give Lambo ice cream because R-Reborn was being a meanie!” Lambo yells, tugging at the material of his pant’s leg. Yuuto has no idea what the kid is talking about.

“ _Ice cream?_ ” He mutters, brow furrowing in confusion. He didn’t tell Lambo anything about ice cream, nor had he bought any on their errands.

“... Where’d the scar go?” Lambo asks suddenly, eyes fixed to Yuuto’s face. Scar? What scar? Yuuto’s expression grows even more confused.

He only has one scar, and there was no way this child has seen it. It runs down his calf and some of his thigh on the outside. Nana had thought it would be a good idea to jump from great uncle Taro's boat one time when visiting the surly old man as kids. Yuuto hadn’t been paying attention to where he jumped, and ended up cutting his leg open on the metal of the boat’s propellers.

“What scar?” He asks and Lambo points up at him. “Mr. Tanaka just had one on his lip! Lambo saw it!” The little boy says, pointing more aggressively at his face.

“I don’t have a sca—”  
“YES, MR. TANAKA DOES! LAMBO SAW IT AND LAMBO WANTS HIS ICE CREAM NOW!”

“... Lambo, why don’t you tell me what all happened, okay?” Yuuto sighs, rubbing his temples and looking down at the boy. Might as well start from the top and figure out just what was going on.

“The Great Lambo went to kill Reborn and the stupid hitman kicked Lambo away—”  
“I thought I told you no killing Reborn?”  
“Mr. Tanaka told Lambo he couldn’t kill stupid Reborn in the house!”  
“... _right_... continue.”  
“Being kicked made Lambo very upset but he remembered that he was given a secret weapon when he came here! So the Great Lambo used it!”  
“Did this secret weapon make all that pink smoke?”  
“Yes! And when Lambo used it, the pink smoke took him somewhere else! And Mr. Tanaka was there, waiting!”  
“ _Wha —_”  
“And you were super nice to Lambo! Mr. Tanaka carried Lambo to a kitchen, and wiped his face,—”

Lambo sucks in a deep breath and Yuuto leans back, bracing himself.

“ _AND SAID MR. TANAKA WOULD GIVE LAMBO ICE CREAM BECAUSE REBORN WAS A BIG STUPID MEANIE!_ ”

“Lambo... I never did or said any of that—” Yuuto resists the urge to cover his ears at Lambo’s answering screech of, “ _YES YOU DID!_ ”

Yeah, some doppelganger with a scarred lip apparently told the boy, but not Yuuto. Seriously, what the hell was going on? This must have to do with whatever ‘secret weapon’ created that pink smoke, he just knew it. Spotting Reborn as the smoke clears completely, Yuuto mouths, ‘ _What the fuck_ ”

 

* * *

 

“... time travel...” His uncle murmurs, disbelief faint on the adult's tongue. “Yes. I did tell you that the Bovino famiglia are well-known for their technological inventions.” Reborn responds, picking at his nails. “But... _time travel_...” Yuuto murmurs again.

“You accepted the Mafia, the fact that I'm not a real baby, and magical fire but you can’t get past time travel?” Reborn’s brow rises as the hitman stares at Yuuto with an unimpressed look. “Listen, I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that the _actual child here_ , has a bazooka that can travel in time... speaking of,—” His uncle grumbles and stares down at the little boy, “—Lambo, don’t use that bazooka again.”

“Only if you give Lambo ice cream like you said!”

Tsuna watches his uncle’s face, he can feel a kinship with the way the Yuuto's eyelid is twitching. The Mafia had the ability to time travel. What next? Dimension hopping? Giant robots? _Aliens?_ Tsuna does not like how his intuition grows suspiciously quiet at some of his thoughts.

“LAMBO WANTS ICE CREAM!”

“Shut up.” Reborn monotones and flicks a pebble straight at the kid’s forehead. The force of it colliding with Lambo knocks the child down. “Dammit, Reborn!” Yuuto plucks the little boy up and starts shushing him, trying to stop the impending meltdown of tears. “That’s gonna leave a bump...” His uncle mumurs and shoots Reborn a glare. Tsuna is still too busy counting all the different and increasingly impossible things the hitman might tell them the Mafia can do when his uncle’s voice cuts through his thoughts. “Tsuna... why is there an unconscious girl on the ground?”

Crap! He forgot about Haru!

 

* * *

 

Voices filtered into her ears as she came back to awareness.

“— _I p-pushed her out of the way of Lambo’s grena —_”  
“— _suna saved her life, Mr. Tanak —_”  
“— _don’t think she has a concus —_”

Slowly, Haru opens her eyes only to shut them immediately. Ow, why did the light hurt her eyes? “She’s waking up!” She knows that voice. It's the fluffy teenage boy's. “You said there wasn’t any blood when you checked the back of her head, right?” That voice wasn’t familiar. It's deeper, more mature. An adult, probably?

Groaning again, Haru tries to sit up and whimpers as it causes a throbbing pain to shoot through her skull. “Hey, wow, be careful!” The deeper voice says, and Haru weakly opens her eyes, having to squint due to how the light still hurts her eyes some. The voice belongs to the man who is the father of the cute baby! 

 

* * *

  
“... Haru, right?” Yuuto asks the girl as she sits up more. His nephew had given him the rundown of what all happened and though there wasn't any confirmation, Tsuna said he was sure the girl's name was Haru. The teenager starts to give a nod but stops, her eyes squinting further in pain at him. “Okay, my name is Yuuto. Tsuna said you hit your head earlier, can you show me where?” Yuuto scans her eyes as he says this. The pupils don't seem to be dilated and she's focusing on his face fairly well.

Frowning with confusion at him, Haru lifts a hand and lightly touched the back of her head, near the base of her ponytail. “Back here...” She mumbles. “Tsuna, does it look like there’s any bleeding there now?” Yuuto asks his nephew, causing the boy to jolt next to the girl. “N-no, doesn’t look like it...” Tsuna says, gaze flitting over the back of the Haru’s skull. 

“Okay, Haru. I need you to follow my finger as best you can.” Yuuto instructs and lifts a hand, finger extended upwards as he draws it back-and-forth in front of her eyes. She tracks it easily. Good.

“And how many fingers am I holding up now?”  
“Three?”

Relief sags his shoulders at her answer. It doesn't seem like the girl has a concussion. His nephew's extreme clumsiness when he was younger meant Tsuna had been prone to head injuries, and Yuuto had to learn how to spot them fairly quick back then. “I don’t think you have a concussion, but is there someone I can call to come and pick you up?” Yuuto asks the girl finally, pulling his phone from his pocket and looking at her as he waits for an answer. It was better to be safe than sorry with head injuries.

 

* * *

 

Haru stares, slightly dumbfounded, as the man calls her own father to come and pick her up.

“Is this a Mr. Miura? Hello, my name is Tanaka Yuuto and I’m calling to ask if you could come pick your daughter u— No sir... no— She hit her head fairly hard running into m— No, she seems okay but I'm worried about her going home alone, just in case— Yes, we’re at...”

She had tried to tell Mr. Tanaka that she would be okay to get home on her own, but the adult had insisted on calling someone to come and pick her up, stating that is was better she be watched for the next twenty-four hours just in case. Slowly, a flush works its way up Haru’s cheeks, embarrassment spreading low in her gut. She feels the need to apologize.

Though it makes the ache in her skull worse, Haru bows her head when Mr. Tanaka hangs up and turns back towards her.

“Haru is so sorry, Mr. Tanaka!”  
“What?”  
“Haru thought you were a bad parent because your oldest son and his friend weren’t caring for your youn—”  
“Wow, wow! Tsuna isn’t my son.”

Her face grows surprised and Haru, slowly to avoid pain, looks back up at Mr. Tanaka, “Hahi, but Haru thought you were his father?”

 

* * *

 

“What? No, I’m his uncle.”  
“... then the cute baby in a suit isn’t your son?”  
“No— _AH!_ ”

Yuuto's answer to Haru is cut off by Reborn, who had moved closer to him while he was on the phone, suddenly stomping down on his foot. How the hell were feet that tiny capable of inflicting that much pain!? “I’m _adopted~_ ” The hitman says in a nauseatingly cute tone of voice, eyeing him closely as Yuuto glares down at the other for stepping on his foot like that.

“Eh? Adopted?” The girl murmurs and Reborn’s stare on him sharpens, foot pressing down against his again. Oh, he's supposed to play along.

“... Yes. I adopted Reborn.” Yuuto says after a moment.

 

* * *

 

Lambo doesn't know what's was going on anymore. One moment he was in a kitchen with Mr. Tanaka, who promised him ice cream, them the next he was back in the street and Mr. Tanaka didn’t have his scar anymore. Then everyone had crowded around some girl and Mr. Tanaka had checked her for something called a ‘concussion’. He doesn't know what that is, but it's making it take too long to get his ice cream.

Lambo wants that ice cream _now_.

“ _LAMBO WANTS HIS ICE CREAM!_ ” The child screeched and latched onto Mr. Tanaka’s leg.

“Hahi! The other baby? Are you his father too?” The girl questions and Lambo tilts his head to get a better look at her. Did she just ask if Mr. Tanaka was his father? “Mr. Tanaka isn’t the Great Lambo’s fa—” Lambo doesn't get to finish what he was saying as his face meets concrete. “Adopted~” He hears Reborn say as large hands set him upright and Mr. Tanaka leans down with concern. “Reborn! Stop being mean to Lambo!” The adult grumbles, shooting the Arcobaleno a glare before looking back to him. “Are you okay, kid?”

Lambo sniffles, tears rising in his eyes as he rubs at his face. Stupid Reborn! Still rubbing at his face, Lambo peeks with one eye at Mr. Tanaka and asks with a pouty lip, “W-will you get Lambo ice cream now?”

“... yeah, okay, we’ll all go get ice cream.”  
“Right now!?”  
“No, I need to wait here wit—”  
“ _LAMBO WANTS IT NOW_!”  
“Lambo —”  
“ _PLEEEAAASSEEEE!?_ ”

Mr. Tanaka sighs and rubs the bridge of his nose. After a moment the man pulls a wallet out and slips something from it, then glances over to his nephew and holds a card out to the teenager.

“Tsuna, Gokudera, go get Lambo and yourselves some ice cream, okay? Tsuna knows the place.”  
“U-uh, okay!”  
"Yes sir, Mr. Tanaka!"

Lambo’s want to cry immediately disappears as Tsuna ushers him over and picks him up. _Yes!_ He's going to get ice cream!

 

* * *

 

“Lambo is so cute! You are so lucky to have such a cute baby!” Haru whispers dreamily, eyes on the cow-child as he leaves with the two teenagers. She doesn't exactly agree with Mr. Tanaka’s decision to let those two irresponsible boys be in charge, but she had overheard the man give them a budget and tell them to wait for him at their destination. He was probably going to take his other son to get ice cream once Haru’s father shows up to get her. What a good dad!

“Uh, thanks?” Mr. Tanaka says with slight confusion, glancing at her and Haru leans forward, eager to ask if she can hold Reborn, who is propped up against Mr. Tanaka’s leg. A truck suddenly drives around the street corner and pulls up beside them quickly, the driver door slamming open as it parks.

“Haru!”  
“D-dad!”

Her father steps away of the truck and rushes towards her, cupping her face once he's close enough as the adult looks her all over.

“Are you okay?! I got a call saying you hit your head an—”  
“Haru is okay, dad! She’s stronger than a little bump on the head!”

Mr. Tanaka clears his throat from behind them and the father-daughter duo turn. “Mr. Tanaka?” Her dad asks politely.

“Yes, and I assume you’re Mr. Miu—”

Her dad rushes forward, enveloping the other man in a bone-cracking hug. “Thank you so much for calling me and keeping an eye on my precious daughter while I came to get her!”  
“Urk— It’s no problem. She did get hurt because of my nephew...” Mr. Tanaka says, trying to leave the embrace, and gasps for breath once her father finally lets go.

That’s right! She did end up with this headache because of that boy. Haru shoots a glare towards where the teenagers had disappeared around the block earlier. “Still, thank you so much! Come on, Haru, let’s go home and have you rest.” Her dad exclaims and gives another bone-crushing hug to a bewildered looking Mr. Tanaka. “Bye, Reborn! Have fun getting ice cream with your daddy!” Haru gushes as she follows her dad to the truck. She doesn't notice how both adult and baby freeze and get wide-eyed looks for a moment at what she said.

As the truck pulls away from the sidewalk, Haru’s thoughts drift to the family she just met.

Mr. Tanaka is obviously a single parent. Haru is very aware that it's hard for single parents, after all, her dad is one too. When she had gotten older and realized just how hard her dad worked for her, Haru had made it her goal to make it easier for him by doing the best she could in school and at home. Mr. Tanaka reminds her of her own dad, only this man was raising two tiny children _and_ his nephew by himself!

Haru would definitely make sure the man's nephew, and his rude friend, learned that they had responsibilities to adhere to with small children, and in helping Mr. Tanaka!

 

* * *

 

Yuuto watches the truck speed away, mind still stuck on the word Haru had uttered. When the vehicle disappears from view, and he feels Reborn stop leaning against his leg, only then does Yuuto leave the daze that has settled over his thoughts and he glances down at the hitman. Was he going to mention it? Please tell him that Reborn wasn’t going to mention it.

When the hitman only leaps to his shoulder, takes a seat and then says they should catch up to Tsuna, Yuuto can't help the small sigh of relief that leaves him. Looks like Reborn is going to ignore the elephant in the room... or maybe he hadn’t even heard Haru say it?

Starting to walk in the direction he sent the kids in, Yuuto begins questioning Reborn.

“Why did you tell that girl I adopted you and Lambo?”  
“Cover story~”  
“But—”  
“Would you prefer her ask questions as to why your nephew is hauling around a baby? Or why a grown man has two young children with him all the time if they aren’t his?”  
"Why didn't you tell Misumi the same thing?"  
"She saw too much all at once that couldn't be explained away. Babies don't have the strength that I do, Yuuto, nor can they use a gun like that. And your friend isn't an idiot, she knew I was wrong somehow even before that."

Yuuto grows quiet, not able to argue with any of what Reborn just said and it remains silent as he walks down the sidewalk, headed to the local ice cream parlor. He's just started to contemplate the sad fact that all his groceries are probably ruined, or stolen at this point, when Reborn speaks up next to his ear and breaks the silence.

“So...”

Yuuto glances at Reborn from the corner of his eye, suspicion growing at that tone the hitman is using.

“What flavor are you going to get?”

His shoulders relax at the innocent question. For a moment, Yuuto thought that the thing Haru said was going to be mentioned.

“Chocolate, probably... why?”  
“That’s so _boring_ though.”  
“So?”  
“The girl told us to have fun and chocolate isn’t a _fun_ flavor, Yuuto~”

No. Please, no.

“No... don’t you dare—”  
“Don’t you agree,—”  
“Reborn, don’t fucking say it—"  
“ _Daddy?~_ ”

The shit-eating smirk that spread across the hitman’s face as Yuuto makes a strangled noise, face turning red, is pure unadulterated evil. Reborn hadn't even known the man's voice could reach that high of a pitch.

 

* * *

 

“Hey, lady! You can’t ju—”

The man falls to the ground, mouth frothing and eyes rolling into the back of his head as he twiches. A piece of gum innocently sits on his tongue, the culprit for his quick descent into unconsciousness. Turning her attention back to the door, she clicks the key card in and sweeps into her hotel room. Thank goodness this lousy little town had a five-star hotel.

Namimori had been so bland looking when she landed that she was worried she’d have to stay somewhere subpar. She couldn’t believe her love was stuck in this place, training some civilian kid to be the next don of the Vongola.  
“Don’t worry Reborn, Bianchi is here to free you. We’ll be taking hits together again in no time!”

Bianchi doesn't notice the spider that emerges from her hair, and skitters to the floor of her hotel room as she closes the door behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My partner really wanted me to end this chapter on Reborn being an evil gremlin and calling Yuuto 'daddy', but I wanted to get Bianchi in Namimori already so she can do stuff in the next chapter.  
> (You guys have no idea how much I can't wait to write Reborn continuing to call Yuuto that _word_ in progressively more important situations, completely flabbergasting everyone who hasn't heard it before and making Yuuto regret all his life choices.)


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsuna is bad at running. Hayato loses his lunch. Yuuto has a hysterical fit. Reborn gets angry. Bianchi gets scared. A compromise is reached.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is less funny and more dramatic, I suppose? I hope that doesn't bother anyone.
> 
> More notes at the end because most of what I want to say is spoilers for this chapter.
> 
> Uh, I hope you guys like it? And that people's reactions make sense?  
> (I hope there aren't really weird writing mistakes, I wrote most of this at 4 in the morning on a soda high. It was a mistake to drink soda.)

Once again Tsuna is outside, two hours and thirty minutes before he’d need to wake up to get ready for school, facing a horde of dogs.

“Why me... _why this_...” He murmurs nervously, a cold sweat having broken out on the back of his neck. Apparently, Reborn wasn’t joking when the tiny hitman said this was going to happen every morning. “R-Reborn, isn’t this a bit much?” He asks, voice pitching up when the dogs advance a little as he steps back and their eyes sharpen with hunger.

Reborn just stares at him with a blank expression from his perch on the biggest beast as he says, “I thought I told you not to ask stupid questions yesterday, Tsunayoshi.” and Tsuna’s intuition rings as the hitman fingers the handle of the same bucket as yesterday.

The teenager turns and starts running before Reborn can throw the contents inside the bucket at him.

 

* * *

 

“Get up, Yuuto.”

The aforementioned man grunts and buries his face further into the pillow beneath him. The alarm hasn’t gone off, why the hell is someone trying to wake him up? Blearily, Yuuto tilts his head and squints in irritation at the small form beside his pillow when they poke his face again.

“You should fix your clock.” Reborn says, finger pressed into Yuuto’s cheek and Yuuto blinks the sleep from his eyes as he tries to make out the glowing numbers in the clock face on the nightstand just past the tiny hitman’s form.

He groans as the numbers come into clear view and grumbles, “The hell is wrong with this damn clock...” then pushes himself up, scrubbing a hand down his face. At least this time he has a little over an hour to prepare breakfast and lunch for the kids. “Maybe you need a new one~” Reborn comments and Yuuto stifles a yawn as stretches then throws the blanket off himself. He slips from bed and then heads out of the room, towards the kitchen. His ears feel kinda funny...

 

* * *

 

Tsuna is already dressed and sat down at the table when his uncle zooms into the kitchen. Yuuto stares at him silently for several moments then shakes his head and makes a beeline for the fridge as Reborn walks in a second later, ignoring them both and heading straight for the coffee maker.

“Where’s Gokudera?” Yuuto asks, head in the fridge and Tsuna says, “S-showering...” then stands to go over to his uncle’s side. “What are we having?” He asks as the adult pulls an egg and milk carton out. “Waffles.” His uncle replies and sets both cartons down on the counter then moves to the pantry. Tsuna hears a mumbled, “... _where’d I put the waffle iron_...” as Yuuto rummages around.

“Cupboard above the oven.” Reborn pipes up from where the tiny hitman is standing on a kitchen counter, eyes on the coffee maker and Yuuto heads to the oven, opening the cupboard above then murmurs, “ _Why did I put it there_...” when the man spots it. Reborn glances over this time as he says, in a slightly mocking tone, “You decided to hide it when I threatened to use it on Tsuna’s face the first week. You should have thought of a better spot, Yuuto. The one you chose was _so_ amateur~”

His uncle frowns at the reminder of why he moved the machine from it’s usual spot, pulling it down. Tsuna hadn’t known about that threat and he dubiously stares in Reborn’s direction. Would the hitman have actually used a waffle iron on his face?

Probably.

“Can I help?” Tsuna asks, fiddling with the tab on the milk as his uncle stes the waffle iron down on the counter. He hasn’t helped Yuuto make breakfast in awhile and it used to be something they did together a lot when he was younger... he’s not sure why they stopped. His uncle says, “Sure." and heads back over to the pantry, pulling out a few more ingredients and bringing them over too. "You can mix these together into a bowl."

Looks like his uncle isn’t even going to ask about him being up and ready before him then. Tsuna is a bit relieved because he has no idea what to say that would be a convincing enough lie. He’s always been absolutely terrible at lying, especially to Yuuto.

“ _Uh_... how much do I put in the bowl for everything?”

 

* * *

 

Yuuto waves the two boys out of the apartment, after pressing the bento box into Gokudera’s hands this time. The teen had forgotten it yesterday despite Yuuto reminding him right before Tsuna and Gokudera left.

“You’re not going with Tsuna today?” Yuuto asks Reborn as he re-enters the kitchen. The tiny hitman is still sitting at the table, and is now eyeing Lambo like the child has a disease. “I’m finishing my coffee.” Is the response Yuuto receives as he watches Reborn twitch as an overly syrupy piece of waffle skids across the kitchen table towards the other. Reborn leans back in his chair and the piece of food falls to the floor, instead of on the hitman, with a wet plop.

“ _Just put it in a thermos_...” Yuuto murmurs and Reborn shoots him a mildly scandalized, and disappointed, look.  
“ _Barbaric_. Coffee must be savored the moment it’s made. A thermos would ruin it’s aroma.” The hitman states, pointedly taking a sip from his mug and Yuuto can’t help but roll his eyes at that... it’s just a damn coffee.

“ **LAMBO WANTS MORE!** ” Lambo suddenly shrieks, spittle and bits of half-chewed food fleeing the little boy’s mouth. Reborn’s face twists in disgust and the hitman quickly gulps down the last of his coffee then hops from the table. So much for savoring it.

“Bye Reborn.” Yuuto calls out as the other leaves the kitchen then adds, “And no, Lambo. No more waffles.” as his attention turns to the child.  
“BUT LAMBO WANTS MOOOOREEEE!”  
“No, you’ve had enough. Look at the mess you made.”

There is syrup, and the remains of several waffles, all over the table _and_ Lambo. Looks like someone is going to be taking a bath, and very soon at that.

“MORE!”  
“No. You’re going to take a bath instea—”  
“ _ **NO!**_ ”

Lambo jumps from his seat before Yuuto can grab the child, and then runs between the his legs towards the living room. “L-LAMBO!” Yuuto yells, spinning around and giving chase, “ **DON’T YOU DARE GET ON THAT COUCH!** ”

Before the little boy can so much as breathe on the aforementioned furniture, Reborn speeds into view and kicks Lambo away with a well-placed foot to the chin. The hitman looks at his shoe with a sneer, which now has a glob of syrup on it, like it has greatly offended him as Yuuto yells, “WHAT HAVE I SAID ABOUT SMACKING LAMBO!?”

“I didn’t smack him. I _kicked_ him~”

Yuuto groans and presses his fingers to his temples, rubbing them in a circle slowly. _Inhale, five... four... three... two... one... exhale._  
“I thought you were leaving?”  
“I am. I just remembered that I hadn’t hit the pest yet.”  
“ _Reborn!_ ”  
“Bye~”

Reborn then wipes his shoe off on the side of the couch and Yuuto shoots a glare at the hitman. “HEY!” He snaps but Reborn just gives a jaunty little wave as he opens the front door and then leaves, slamming it shut behind him. “ _God dammit_...” Yuuto grumbles, hands on hips as his eyes trail from the smear on his couch to the fallen form of Lambo. The child is knocked out cold and drooling onto the floor.

 _Well, at least it’ll be easier to get him into a bath if he’s unconscious_.

Picking the little boy up, Yuuto makes a face at how there is now sticky syrup in the shape on his carpet. That's going to be a pain to wash out. Holding Lambo out at arm’s length, to avoid getting any of the mess on himself, Yuuto makes his way to the hall bathroom.

 

* * *

 

Tsuna nervously peers around Hayato, one hand clenching the strap of his backpack. They’re nearing a certain crosswalk and both boys can’t help but glance around as they approach the area in which Haru jumped them yesterday. The two teenagers quickly make their way to the other side of the street, and the tension in their shoulders only leaves them both when they’re on the next block with the school in sight. Just one more block to go.

Tsuna is unbelievably relieved that the girl wasn’t waiting to ambush them at the crosswalk today.

“ _TSUNA! HAYATO!_ EXTREME MORNING TO YOU!” A voice rings out behind them, very close, and hands suddenly slam down on Tsuna’s shoulders. “M-morning Ryohei!” Tsuna mumbles out, his ears ringing as he turns to greet his exuberant friend. His eyes catch Takeshi walking a little ways behind, and he waves around Ryohei at the other boy.

“Morning, Takeshi!” Tsuna calls and his friend waves back, picking up the pace. “Morning you guys!” Takeshi greets with a smile as the dark-haired teen comes to a stop next to them.

“... Morning, Sasagawa, Yamamoto...” Hayato grunts out next to him, and Tsuna feels surprised the other didn’t yell at Ryohei for using his first name or call Takeshi a baseball-idiot. “You can extremely use my first name too, Hayato!” Ryohei says as he grins brightly and Tsuna squints his eyes. Ugh... _morning people_... how do they do it? He can make out Hayato glancing away, face set into a scowl as the teen’s ears turn red.  
“Haha, you’re friendly this morning, Gokudera~” Takeshi laughs and gives a friendly slap to the silver-haired boy on the shoulder, who hunches them in and grumbles, “Whatever. Let’s just get to school already...”

 _Huh_.  _This is new._

Tsuna’s gaze ping-pongs between his friends. He’s not used to Hayato being so... subdued. Well, whatever changed, he’s glad it did as Tsuna was starting to get worried that Hayato wouldn’t fit in. What with how the silver-haired teen seemed to disapprove of and fight against every single one of Tsuna’s friends, especially Takeshi. That would have quickly become a problem for him, and he likes Hayato well-enough, but no one gets to tell him who he can and cannot be friends with _or_ drive them off. Not even Yuuto has ever done that to him even though this uncle has always disliked and been vaguely disapproving of how violent Kyouya is.

“You’re right! Hibari is still probably mad about Tsuna and you being late yesterday. Don’t want to give him extra incentive to go after you guys by being even a minute late today.” Takeshi comments with a grin and the four teens start moving again.

 

* * *

 

He’s been trying to wash out the syrup in his carpet that Lambo for the past ten minutes, keeping an ear open for sounds from the bathroom as he does so. Any time Lambo goes silent, Yuuto gets up to go check on the child. He doesn't want the little boy to somehow drown himself in the bathtub.

The sound of splashing and airplane noises echo down the hall followed by childish giggling. It had been such a pain to get Lambo into the bath. The moment Yuuto had turned on the water the kid had woken up and started trying to escape, yelling about how baths were evil or something. Yuuto had to resort to bribing, and hunting down some of his nephew’s old waterproof toys, to get Lambo to agree to get into the water.

Was Tsuna this bad around that age?

Yuuto makes a face as he thinks that over. No, definitely not. His nephew was practically a saint compared to what he’s had to put up with for Lambo... and it’s only been a couple of days since the child got here. He still has no idea what he’s going to do with the kid but, or Gokudera for that matter too, but for now it looks like he’s keeping them both. Scowling at the floor, Yuuto scrubs harder at the syrup globs in his carpeted floor. He’s ignoring the smear on his couch because if he pays it any attention right now it’s only going to make him pissed. He should make Reborn clean it up. The bastard is the one who did it in the first place.

The carpet is almost clean, traces of syrup nearly gone when the doorbell rings and Yuuto glances up. Standing, he rubs the back of his neck and heads over while idly wondering who it could be. Yuuto curiously looks through the peephole and sees... _pink?_ Leaning back, he glances towards the bathroom where he can still hear Lambo, so it couldn’t be the bazooka, right? Then again, what he saw doesn’t look like smoke of any kind and he didn't hear anything that sounded like a bazooka going off...

Cautiously, he clicks the lock and opens the door a hair. “Yes?” Yuuto asks, eyeing the strange young woman on the other side. “Hello!” She greets with a wave, eyes going past him for a moment and into the apartment before falling back on him. “Uh... _hi_. Can I help you?” He responds, trying to think of what she could want. He’s never seen her before in his life, and Yuuto’s pretty sure he’d remember someone with pink hair especially when it doesn’t look like it’s dyed.

She smiles and says, “Pizza delivery~”, before picking up a bag up off the floor, that Yuuto hadn’t even noticed was there until now. Casually, the young woman starts pulling a pizza box from inside and holds it out to him. Yuuto brings a hand up in denial, confused, and shakes his head. “I didn’t order a pizza, ma’am. You probably have the wrong apartment.” He says and gives an apologetic smile to her. The young woman frowns at him, “No. I’m pretty sure I have the right place... this is the Sawada residence, isn’t it?” and holds the box out more.

Did Tsuna order a pizza? No, his nephew wouldn’t order food. For one thing, the teen has none of his own money and hates phone calls. Gets anxious whenever he has to make one that isn’t to his friends. He’s also not home right now, and even if Tsuna did order food on his own, it wouldn’t be when he has to go to school.

Yuuto’s eyes narrow. Maybe it’s a prank or a hoax of some sort?

“The only Sawada in residence here is my nephew. I can assure you he didn’t order any food, he’s only thirteen. I’m really sorry, but this must have been a prank or something pulled by some kids on him—” Yuuto begins and the young woman takes a step forward, the pizza box bumping into his chest. “Sawada Tsunayoshi _does_ live at this residence then? And you’re his... guardian?” She questions and Yuuto straightens at that word. He doesn’t like how her eyes have suddenly sharpened on him either. “... You’ve got the wrong place, lady.” Yuuto murmurs, suspicion crawling up his spine as they stare at one another.

“Sorry, but you’re in the way. You and your Sky.” She hisses and Yuuto has a split-second to slam the door in her face when she flings the pizza box open, hurling it’s contents at him. He’s scrambling to put the lock back in place when he hears the sizzling sound. Eyes wide, Yuuto steps back from the door as a _fucking pizza_ melts through it’s wood. “What the...” He whispers with shock as he watches it nearly burn a perfectly circle right through the door and falls to the floor.

“Do you like it? It’s my special technique~” Yuuto hears the woman on the other side, her hand appearing through the new hole in his door and twisting the knob. The front door swings open and she steps in, a plate in one hand. “Who are you? What do you want?” Yuuto asks, backing up as she starts advancing, mind racing. What does he do? She just _melted_ through his front door with a _pizza!_ He eyes the new plate of food in her hand with wariness. Will it do the same thing?

“Poison Scorpion Bianchi and I want you to _die._ ”

 

* * *

 

Yuuto ducks another acidic plate of food, which sails above him and lands somewhere behind. Where is this crazy woman getting all of it? Why is it melting whatever it touches?!

He had leapt away from the young woman after she had told him her name and dived for cover behind the couch to avoid the plate of food, of what he was assuming was a pasta of some sort, at him. It had rapidly melted into the floor where he had stood. 

“ _WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM!?_ ” Yuuto screeches, hurling the T.V remote at her from over the back of the couch then eyes the space from the furniture to the the kitchen... he’ll have to sprint. He needs a weapon, preferably something sharp and pointy to throw at this Bianchi.

“YOU’RE IN THE WAY OF MY TIME WITH REBORN!!”

Of course this is Reborn’s fault.

“I’M NOT IN THE WAY OF ANYTHING!” Yuuto shouts back and scrambles to his feet, leaving the cover of the couch and sprinting to the kitchen. He makes it and dashes for the silverware drawer. Flinging it open, Yuuto yanks several knives out and ducks just as the pink-haired menace appears in the doorway, flinging a cake at him. It hits the counter, contents exploding outwards and a sizzling noise fills the kitchen. Yuuto stares as the cake remains start melting through the surface of not only what it landed on, but where bits of it are on the floor and walls.

  
“ _MY KITCHEN!_ ” He wheezes and stumbles back to avoid a muffin, that smashes into the ground next to him. It starts melting too.

“ **GET OUT OF MY HOME!** ” Yuuto yells, head snapping towards the woman with a glare, and starts throwing. 

 

* * *

 

Bianchi barely ducks in time to avoid the knife the Vongola heir's Lightning throws at her and spies the shine of more in his hands as she starts recalculating. That’s not an aim she expected for a civilian who has barely been introduced to the underworld. “NOT UNTIL YOU’RE DEAD, AND REBORN COMES WITH ME!” She snarls and flings a pie towards him. “ _YOU CAN HAVE HIM!_ ” His shout makes her falter for a second, and another knife whizzes by. It slices at some strands of her hair and Bianchi backs up, using the wall separating the kitchen and living room as cover. “ _IS REBORN NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU?!_ ” She hollers, indignant anger rising inside her. This man and his nephew had her love living with and training them. Did he not know lucky they were?

“WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOU— ACTUALLY, I DON’T CARE! _GET OUT!_ ” He yells at her, flinging another knife and Bianchi scowls as she readies pork skewers. Two can play at the game of sharp-and-pointy throwing.

Peering around the wall, Bianchi starts flinging but the area that man has taken cover in is nearly a blindspot and she huffs then starts readying something bigger, something that will cover more ground to hurl at him.

In the end she doesn’t have too.

One of the skewers nearly hits the man and, in his attempt to avoid it, his foot slides on the remains of the muffin she threw earlier. HIs skull connects against the edge of a counter with a deafening crack and he crumples. Bianchi stares for a few moments, eyes squinted, and then cautiously makes her way over to the man's prone form. He could be playing possum after all. She nudges the man with her foot, several pork skewers in her grasp and ready throw, but he doesn’t move. Doesn’t even make a sound at her prodding. He’s clearly still breathing and Bianchi feels a bit of relief at that as her love did say to leave the Vongola heir and his guardians alive... but she can spy can already darkening bruise on the man’s temple and grins. It wouldn’t be _her_ fault if the other died of an injury he inflicted on himself.

 

* * *

 

“— _anaka... Mr-Tanaka!—_ ”  
“— _ake up, please! Lambo is scare—_ ”  
“— _get up! Plea—_ ”

 _Fuck_.

His head hurts and static rings in his ears as a dull ache pulses along the entire left side of Yuuto’s face. He blearily cracks one eye open, wincing as the action only makes the pain in his skull increase. “... Lambo?” Yuuto croaks quietly, the image of the kid slowly wavering into view as his vision clears. There are tears all over the little boy's face and he’s dripping wet, eyes wide and scared.

“ _YUUTO!_ ” Lambo wails and springs forward, wrapping small arms around the his neck. “L-LAMBO WAS SO SCARED! H-HE HEARD LOUD NOISES IN THE LIVING R-ROOM AND WHEN HE GOT OUT OF THE BATH T-TO CHECK, THERE WAS A S-SCARY LADY! L-LAMBO HID IN TSUNA’S ROOM!” The kid cries further, burying his face into Yuuto’s shoulder.

_The woman!_

Yuuto tries to sit up and groans as it makes his vision blur, the ache changing into a dull roar along his skull. “Is she still here?!” He questions quickly, trying to blink the dizziness away. “N-no. S-she left and w-when Lambo came out of T-Tsuna’s room, Mr. Tanaka was on the floor and w-wouldn't get up!” Lambo sobs, calming down a little now that he's sat up. “Y-you wouldn’t get up! N-not even when Lambo said h-he was going to get his dirty clothes on your bed if you d-didn’t!”

Carefully, Yuuto touches his temple and winces in pain as he sweeps his gaze along the kitchen. It’s a complete disaster. There are melted holes in everything, a cabinet door is hanging off its hinges, and the dining table is missing an entire chair. He stares at the pile of melted debris on the floor where the chair is supposed to be, a single wooden skewer sticking out of it. “C’mon, Lambo. Let’s get out of here, I don’t like this... food stuff.” He mumbles and the kid hesitantly lets go of the vice grip they had on him. Slowly, Yuuto gets to his feet, having to use the nearby counter to steady himself. Ugh, standing just made the dizziness worse.

The two make their way from the kitchen and into the living room, and Yuuto falters at the sight of his couch. It’s completely _demolished_. Guess he won’t have Reborn clean the syrup smear after all, there’s no point anymore. Not that he could have gotten the hitman to do it anyways... lazy bastard.

“You’re sure she left, Lambo?” Yuuto asks, slightly paranoid that the Bianchi woman is going to suddenly jump out of the shadows and brandish more of that acid food.

“L-Lambo is sure!” The kid says and Yuuto looks down at him. “That’s good, _uhm_... Lambo do you have any more of your onesies?” He asks after a moment. Lambo is naked and dripping water all over the place. Yuuto hadn’t thought of what he was going to have the kid wear when he gave him a bath, all his focus on getting Lambo clean before he could touch anything else in the apartment.

“Yes! Lambo has lots!” 

 

* * *

 

He’s in one of his spare onesies now, and Mr. Tanaka has moved them to the master bedroom, when Lambo suddenly remembers something. “T-the pink lady said something about going after the Vongola heir! Lambo heard her!” He blurts out and feels Mr. Tanaka freeze behind him, hands stopping where the adult was toweling Lambo’s crazy hair dry.

“Did she say anything else?” Mr. Tanaka asks and Lambo turns, shaking his head as he asks in a fearful tone, “No... is she going to hurt Tsuna? Like she hurt you?” He doesn’t want Tsuna to get hurt too. The teenager got him ice cream, and carried him all the way there to get it!

“No. _She’s not_.” Mr. Tanaka growls and he looks angry, eyes sparking with green light. “Lambo, I want you to listen very carefully to me.” The man begins and Lambo straightens at the serious tone, “I want you to wait here, in my bedroom. Do you know how to use a phone?” He asks and Lambo nods. Mr. Tanaka gets off the bed, grabs the phone on the computer desk against the wall and  hands it to Lambo as he comes back over to the bed. The adult then scribbles something onto a notepad on the nightstand, rips the page out and gives that to him too.

“This number is Misumi’s, the nice lady that brought you here. If I, Tsuna... or Reborn, don’t show up in an hour, I want you to call her to come get you, _immediately_. Tell her to get into contact with a Hibari Asuka, okay? Can you do that?” The man asks, tapping the number scribbled onto the paper. Lambo knows that what Mr. Tanaka is saying is serious and he gulps, nodding as he stammers, “L-Lambo can do that! Lambo knows how to tell time!”

“Okay, I’m going to go find Tsuna. I’m serious, Lambo. _Stay in this room_. If one of us doesn’t show up in an hour, call this number.”

Lambo watches Mr. Tanaka go, clutching the paper and phone to himself, as he wiggles under the bed's blankets then stares at the closed door with wide eyes. 

 

* * *

 

“Come on, Tsuna! Run faster!” Takeshi calls back to the shorter teen lagging behind them. Today was a track day for gym period and Tsuna has always been the slowest of everyone which is being proven by the fact that all the other students in their class have gone inside to rest, having finished their laps already... even the teacher had gone inside. Tsuna’s friends had stayed out with the him so he wouldn’t have to run by himself despite already having finished too.

“I’m running as fast as I can, Takeshi!” Tsuna pants as Ryohei runs by him... for the _third time_. “KEEP UP THE EXTREME WORK, TSUNA!” The boxer shouts and continues running ahead. Even Hayato has stopped running at the same pace as Tsuna, instead picking it up and running alongside Takeshi! He’s been abandoned to his snail run. Curse his athletic friends!

Something lands with a soft thwump on his head and Tsuna is too tired to flinch in surprise at it. It’s just Reborn... wait, that’s probably a bad thing. That’s usually a bad thing... like an omen or something.

“You ran faster this morning, Tsuna. Maybe I should bring the dogs to your school’s track field.” The tiny hitman threatens, hand tugging a lock of his hair harshly and Tsuna nearly stumbles as he suddenly finds a new strength in his legs. “T-THAT’S NOT NECESSARY, REBORN!” He shouts and picks up the pace, ignoring how his legs and lungs protest.

“ _Hmpf_. That’s what I thought.” Reborn comments and the grip the hitman had on his hair relaxes. Tsuna’s just about caught up to Hayato and Takeshi when the whisper of his intuition blares like a foghorn across his thoughts. He rushes forward in a surprise burst of speed without thought and accidentally slams into Hayato’s back, knocking them both to the ground.

“REBORN! MY LOVE! I’VE COME FOR YOU!”

 

* * *

 

Kyouya hadn’t been watching the track field. He knew the Little Animal and the pack mates were out there, but he had no reason to watch them run in circles.

Instead, the prefect had been going through reports from his Committee members, idly hoping that someone would have submitted information on the Howler Monkey from yesterday but so far he's had no luck. Kyouya’s just signing off on a request, from the cooking club to host a contest in the school next week, when something makes the fluttery sensation in his chest go from barely there to feeling like birds are caged inside him, flapping their wings.

A day after the dinner with Tsunayoshi and his uncle, Kyouya’s mother had dragged him into the old dojo behind the manor and told him to fight her, to hold nothing back and he had leapt at the chance. Sparring with his mother was one of the greatest adrenaline rushes Kyouya knew of.

She was an apex predator in his eyes and one day he knew he’d be as strong or even stronger than her. He couldn’t wait for that day. Kyouya had only lasted a few minutes against his mother before she immobilized him with power he couldn’t see and then had introduced him to her flames. He had been fascinated, desperate to know more of this power and had demanded his mother teach him, feeling disappointment and anger when she told him she could not teach him her ways... then her words caught up to him.

She could not teach him _her_ ways... that did not mean she could not teach him _a_ way.

For hours she had guided him through the meditation process to connect with his flame core and when purple fire fluttered to life all around him, until he was a human bonfire, Kyouya had never felt more comfortable in his own skin as he did then. The massive weight of exhaustion that had dropped onto him when his flames had suddenly slipped his grasp had nearly caused Kyouya to fall unconcious though.

Training his flames is another matter entirely and incredibly frustrating to him. Not only does he have to be careful and keep his training to a mere hour or two, but his mother is something called a Mist, which isn't the same type as him apparently. Her explanation of her flames suit his mother perfectly in Kyouya's opinion, but it also means she can't train him in the same ways she was once he gets past the basic exercises and builds up his flame core. Kyouya will eventually have to find his own way or a teacher in cloud flames when he reaches that point. He's still not used to the ever present feeling of his cloud flames either, lazily floating and lightly fluttering in his chest. Mother said that eventually it would become background noise to him but he’d always know they’re there even when the feeling would no longer distract him as he became more in tune to their presence.

Kyouya doesn’t know why the fluttery sensation has picked up suddenly. Why it’s so loud and distracting like this, but he glances out of what feels like relex to the window of the Disciplinary Committee clubroom, towards where Tsunayoshi and the others are. Kyouya’s on his feet immediately and striding too the window to swing it open, already preparing to jump down from the second story of the school building.

There is someone on the track field, headed towards the four teenagers out there, and Kyouya does not recognize them as a student... and if it was a parent arriving to take their child out of school today then Kyouya’s pack would have sent him a report letting him know. A snarl rips from him when the person, a woman, throws something towards the teenagers. Whatever it is would have hit the Little Animal if the small teenager hadn’t suddenly burst forward and rushed into the Silver Baboon, knocking them both to the ground.

Kyouya leaps from the open window, landing with an easy grace and stalks towards the field.

 

* * *

 

Hayato freezes on the ground when a voice rings across the track field. He knows that voice. Why is _she_ here?!

Slowly, everyone comes to a stop, but Hayato’s not really paying attention and he doesn’t hear Yamamoto jog back to Tsuna and him, calling their names. He doesn’t even notice Tsuna getting off him, trying to pull him up from where he’s face first on the track. All Hayato can hear is that voice, ringing in his ears. He imagined it, he had to have imagined it. She’s not here, _she’s not—_

“REBORN! LOVE!”

 _She is here_. Goosebumps travel up Hayato’s arms and he stares blankly ahead. _Don’t turn around, Hayato, don’t turn around_.

“Hayato? Are you okay?” Tsuna’s voice finally breaks through his thoughts and he glances to his boss. “You’re shaking, Gokudera...” Yamamoto adds and Hayato’s eyes go to up the other teen’s face, which is drawn in concern. He’d be surprised at the genuine expression if he wasn’t currently trying to fight the rising panic inside.

“I’M HERE TO KILL THE DECIMO SO WE CAN BE TOGETHER AGAIN!”

Hayato’s shoulders tense. She wouldn’t actually do that, right? His sister isn’t stupid, she wouldn’t really kill the Vongola heir, would she? Shit, he has to turn around, he has to protect his boss. Gulping and hands trembling, Hayato tries to pull Tsuna closer and behind him, attempting to stand on his suddenly shaky legs as he does so. He makes eye contact with the shorter teenager and it calms him down enough for Hayato to slip his hands into his jacket. The familiar shape of his dynamite in hand calming Hayato further as he mentally prepares himself.

_Just look at Tsuna, at your boss, don’t look anywhere else. You can do this, you don’t have to look at her to stop her!_

He can’t help the small glance he sends towards where the voice is getting rapidly closer.

It’s a mistake.

Bile rises up in Hayato’s throat and the unlit dynamite drop from his fingers as a noise leaves him. Bianchi notices him at this, now that she’s close enough, and surprised shock twists his sister’s features.

“ _H-Hayato?!_ ”

He doubles over, white noise filling his ears as this morning’s breakfast leaves him. 

 

* * *

 

Kyouya spares a moment to let his rage grow when Gokudera suddenly doubles over and throws up onto the track when the boy looks to the woman for a second. He’s not fond of the Silver Baboon but the other teenager is one of Namimori Middle’s students and the Little Animal seems fond of him. Those facts put him under _Kyouya’s_ protection if the teenager is in his territory, even if the prefect would rather punch the silver-haired teen into the soil for what he did to the school grounds.

The young woman has stopped advancing towards the group of boys, eyes on Gokudera, and Kyouya takes this chance to whip one of his tonfa back and throw. It whistles through the air but the woman moves out of the way with ease.

That immediately tells Kyouya that he’s not dealing with some run-of-the-mill civilian, that this pink-haired unknown must have training. Kyouya is trained by his mother, and once received several weeks of training from his grandfather. There is no way this intruder in his territory could dodge unless she has skill, and a good amount at that. The woman doesn’t spare him more than a cursory glance when the prefect steps into her line-of-sight, putting himself between her and the students behind him. It’s his responsibility to protect the students of Namimori Middle from threats.

Pulling at his flames, Kyouya duplicates the remaining tonfa in his grasp, which was the first thing he learned to do. It depletes his core's reserves by nearly half, and dizziness rushes through him for a moment but Kyoua’s strong enough to weather it. His mother warned him of flame exhaustion, that his reserves are still young and building, and that exhausting those can take out even the strongest and most experienced of fighters. That it can even cause death.

But Kyouya knows his limits even with this new power.

“You’re trespassing and have attacked a student of Namimori Middle. For your actions, I’m going to bite you to dea—“ He doesn’t get to finish, or move forward to attack, when someone shouts across the clearing.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto sprints into the school, ignoring the way every step makes the ache in his head ring. In his hand he carries a bat, that Takeshi had left at the apartment a year ago and kept forgetting to take back whenever he slept over. Yuuto’s glad that the kid kept forgetting as he’s not sure he’d have a steady enough aim with anymore knives to actually hit anything but the ground, or himself, right now.

Panting, Yuuto tries to think of what class period Tsuna would be in at this time. Math? No, that’s after lunch... _Gym!_

He’s racing to the building, surprised that no one has stopped him yet but there doesn’t appear to be any teachers or students out right now, when he hears shouting from the track field. That was definitely the woman’s voice. Gritting his teeth, Yuuto changes direction and bursts onto the field, eyes catching sight of his nephew and the boy’s friends.

Ryohei is yanking Tsuna, Reborn on his nephew’s head, back from the pink lady. Bianchi on the other hand is frozen in place as she stares at Gokudera, who is doubled over and heaving, with Takeshi trying to pull him away. They’re all gathered behind Hibari who is fiercely glaring at the woman, tonfas in hand and, for once, Yuuto is unbelievably glad that the kid is a weirdo with a violent streak who carries weapons on himself at all times.

“ _GET AWAY FROM THEM!_ ” Yuuto shouts, skidding to a stop near the teens and holding the bat up. The woman startles and takes a step forward, towards Gokudera and Yuuto moves into her path. “Don’t move!” He hisses and sees Hibari tense from the corner of his eye, tonfa rising slightly. “Tsuna! Are you guys okay?” He calls over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off of Bianchi. If she takes another step— “Da—Yuuto! Your face!” He hears his nephew reply, confusion and worry seeping into the kid’s tone.

“I’m fine, Tsuna! What’s wrong with Gokudera? _Did she do something to him?!_ ” He growls, hands white-knuckling on the bat. He can still hear the kid dry-heaving and coughing behind him. Did she attack the teen with the weird weaponized food? Gokudera might not be his kid, but Yuuto feels anger at the thought of the boy being attacked. “N-no, h-he just looked at her and this happened! What’s going on?!” Tsuna asks fearfully and Yuuto goes to say he doesn’t know, and that his nephew and his friend’s need to get inside the school, when Reborn speaks.

“I can explain.” The hitman’s calm voice cuts through the tension. 

 

* * *

 

Bianchi spares Reborn a moment of her thoughts when the hitman speaks up, distracting the man she thought was as good as dead before all of her attention refocuses on the form of her little brother, who is in a protective circle of other teenagers. The one in front, who threw a tonfa at her with surprisingly good aim, is glaring at her and she’s sure that if Reborn hadn’t spoke up he would have moved to attack her. The other two are outright staring at her with suspicion while the last, the small one that she knows is the Vongola heir, is worriedly staring at his Lightning guardian.

 _Hayato was here_. Her little brother was here and in contact with the future boss of Vongola. Bianchi’s eyes cut to Reborn, who has hopped to the ground from the heir’s fluffy head and is now walking towards them. Why hadn’t he told her?!

She wouldn’t... she wouldn’t have accepted his request of coming here to test the Vongola heir and his guardians if she had known Hayato would be involved somehow. She let go of and started avoiding her brother for a reason. Bianchi couldn’t handle being around him when all it did was cause them both misery.

“Explain what, Reborn!?” The man she attacked at the apartment hisses. He hasn’t taken his eyes off of her since arriving and though he sways a little, his hands are steady around the bat in his grip. “What’s going on and who she is.” Reborn replies and jumps to the man’s shoulder, causing him to flinch. “Put the weapons down, Yuuto, Hibari.” It takes a minute but slowly they both begin lowering their weapons, even if their gazes say that they’ll have it back up and ready if she makes any sudden movements.

“This is Poison Scorpion Bianchi. I brought her here.” Reborn says, tone calm. The man tenses instantly, eyes cutting to her love with a glare so vicious and near crackling with the glow of lightning flames that Bianchi is surprised it doesn’t set Reborn on fire.

“ **What the fuck, Reborn!?** ”

 

* * *

 

Yuuto is pissed. No, he’s more than pissed.  _He’s furious_.

He hasn’t felt this angry since Iemitsu abandoned Nana after her marriage ceremony to the bastard. Hell, the stupid magic bullets hadn't pissed him off this badly! Reborn brought this woman here?! This woman who tried to kill him and was going to try to do the same to Tsuna?!

He swipes at Reborn but the other is too fast and hops onto his head, voice still unerringly calm. “She was asked to test Tsunayoshi and his guardians.” He says and Yuuto tries to grab at the tiny hitman again. Of course the little shit dodges that too, landing on the ground lightly.

“Test?! _SHE ALMOST KILLED ME!_ ” He yells and vaguely registers his nephew’s shocked inhale over the roar of anger in his ears, “AND YOU WERE GOING TO LET HER GO AFTER TSUNA?! AFTER HIS FRIENDS?!” He stomps towards Reborn, hand clenched so tight around the bat he’s surprised it doesn’t break in his grip. The other keeps watching him from under his fedora and the calm that’s settled over Reborn just pisses Yuuto off even more.

He was wrong to think he could place any sort of trust in this bastard concerning his ki— Reborn moves and Yuuto is suddenly staring up at the sky on his back, with the hitman standing right next to his head. The bat is kicked away and he makes to move and grab it but Reborn’s small foot pressing down against his shoulder stops him in his tracks. “I wouldn’t have let anything happen to Tsunayoshi or his friends, Yuuto.” Reborn murmurs, loud enough for him to hear and it makes the Yuuto falter for a moment. Reborn sounds sincere and he can’t catch a hint of deceit in other’s childish face or eyes.

“ _What do you mean she almost killed you?!_ ” Tsuna’s shout drags Yuuto’s attention away, his anger subduing at the panicky fear in his nephew’s  tone.

 

* * *

 

Tsuna rushes past Kyouya towards his uncle, the prefect not having enough time to grab him and keep him back. Yuuto is slowly sitting up, Reborn no longer hovering over him and Tsuna finds himself suddenly wary. He’s not been quite sure of what he should think of Reborn since he arrived. His intuition told him he could trust the the tiny hitman, but what his uncle just said... did Reborn really bring someone here that would have killed Yuuto? Would have tried to do the same to him? To his friends?

A calm no whispers inside him at these thoughts. Tsuna will have to think on why his intuition tells him that, why it trusts Reborn like this, later.

Falling to his knees, Tsuna wraps his arms around his uncle in a tight embrace. The side of the adult’s face is darkening with a large bruise and he worriedly stares at it as he leans back enough to whisper, “A-are you okay?!”

“I’m okay, Tsuna, I’m okay...” Yuuto murmurs, the anger from earlier having left the man's voice, and embraces Tsuna back. “Are you okay? Are your friends?” His uncle asks as he pulls back from Tsuna, checking him over with a serious and concerned gaze.

“W-we’re okay but I think Hayato is having a panic attack. It started happening when he caught sight of, uhm... Bianchi?” Tsuna murmurs and begins to stand, tugging on his uncle to do the same. He wants to get away from the woman and back over to his friends. Yuuto nods and let’s Tsuna drag him over to where Takeshi, Kyouya and Ryohei are still protectively hovering near Hayato. Both his uncle and himself avoid getting too close to the pink-haired woman as they pass her.

“Are you extremely okay, Mr. Tanaka?” Ryohei asks once they’re closer, eyes on the man’s face as Kyouya moves around behind them, keeping himself in between them and the woman. Yuuto nods as he kneels down next to Hayato and Tsuna does the same a second later. The silver-haired teenager is still shaking and his eyes are tightly shut, knees drawn up to his chest.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto eyes Gokudera critically. Kid is definitely having an anxiety attack of some kind, and he gives a quick glance over his shoulder towards Bianchi, avoiding looking at where Reborn is watching them. He’ll deal with that later.

Turning his attention back to the silver-haired teen, Yuuto asks softly, “Hey, Gokudera?” No response, not even a twitch. “ _Hayato?_ ” That gets a response. The teen’s green eyes open just a crack, hazily focusing onto Yuuto’s face. “Hey there, can you tell me what happened?” He asks and Hayato’s gaze drifts from him to behind, and the teen’s face turns pale as a sheet. The shaking starts up again and Hayato makes a tiny noise in his throat, hunching over himself. “I-I think he’s going to throw up again, Mr. Tanaka...” Takeshi suddenly mumbles.

Yuuto and Tsuna lean back but Hayato only dry-heaves. Yuuto hasn’t seen a panic attack this bad since the first couple of years he and his nephew started living together. Why would Hayato have such a violent reaction to just seeing this woman?

“Hayato, is it okay if I touch you?” Yuuto asks, hand hovering over the teen’s back. The boy doesn’t respond for a moment but then nods and Yuuto presses his hand against Hayato’s shoulder, rubbing it back and forth in a soothing manner as he asks again, “Okay. Can you tell me what happened?” Tsuna is a ball of anxiety next to him, biting his nail as  his nephew says in a reassuring voice, “I-It’s okay, Hayato...”

Hayato shakes his head back-and-forth at them and just vaguely points in the direction of Bianchi. Right, guess he should go ask the source.

“We’re going to the apartment.” Yuuto states and starts to stand. Ryohei nods at him but Takeshi’s brows furrow, lips pulled into a frown even as the teen worriedly stares at Hayato. “What about school?” Takeshi asks, eyes cutting to Hibari and back. The prefect is the one to answer, striding over and getting an arm under Hayato’s, yanking him upright along with Ryohei’s help. “As the Disciplinary Committee head, I have the right to give permission to students to leave school early for emergencies. Let’s go.”

”Thank you, Kyouya.” Yuuto murmurs and Hibari startles, eyes narrowing on him at the use of the boy’s first name. He’s never used it before, aware that the kid has always been finicky about who he let’s use it but Yuuto thinks this warrants calling the teenager by his first name. Hibari nods once and hands Hayato off to Ryohei to hold up now that the silver-haired teen is on his feet, then growls at the others to move and not crowd him while they walk.

Yuuto catches Bianchi take a step towards them from the corner of his eye, worry on her face, as the boys start heading towards the exit of the track field. “H-Hayat—” She begins, reaching her hand forward and Yuuto steps into her line-of-sight with a scowl, arms crossed.  “You're going to come with us, but I want you behind me and nowhere near those kids the entire time, lady.” He says flatly then looks to Reborn, who has been quiet since he knocked Yuuto to the ground and kicked the bat away. “And don’t you get near them either.” 

 

* * *

 

“M’fine...” Hayato slurs as Tsuna opens the front door, ushering everyone in expect for his uncle, Reborn and the woman, who Yuuto is blocking from getting inside. His uncle gestures for Tsuna to lean closer as he says, “Get Hayato some water and take him to one of the rooms in the back. Grab Lambo too, and I don’t want _any of you_ to leave until I come get you.” then shuts the apartment door.

Tsuna stares at it, biting his bottom lip. There’s a hole in the door and he can make out his uncle stepping away through it. He’s nervous despite the fact that his intuition hasn’t warned him of any danger since the initial shriek at the track. Hesitantly, Tsuna turns away from the front door and steps into the living room, eyes going wide at the sight of the couch. Half of it has been melted down.

Damage, of varying degrees, is on the carpeted floor leading to the kitchen too and Tsuna is certain that it gets worse in there. Sure enough, when he steps into the place it’s a disaster. Holes are burnt into the floor and walls, a couple of counters are melted, a cupboard door is hanging off its hinges and they’re missing an entire dining chair.

Carefully, Tsuna picks his way through the mess while eyeing the rotting remains of what he assumes is food littered everywhere. Does food usually rot that fast? Pushing the thought from his mind, Tsuna goes to the thankfully untouched cupboard where they store their glasses and gets one out. He quickly fills it with water and heads out of the kitchen and down the hall. He’s just about to open the door to his bedroom, where his friends had gone, when Yuuto’s door opens and a familiar face peeks through the crack.

“ _T-Tsuna?_ I-is it safe for Lambo to come out?” Lambo asks, opening the door more at the sight of him.

“Y-yeah, it’s okay Lam—“ Tsuna begins to respond and the little boy rushes out, nearly slamming into his legs. “W-where’s Mr. Tanaka?” The little boy whispers, looking towards the living room and then up at him. “He... he’s outside doing something. Don’t worry, he’ll be okay.” Tsuna murmurs as he opens the door to his room. He hopes his uncle will be okay. “He said you need to wait with us in here. Okay, Lambo?” Tsuna adds and Lambo zooms into his room without anymore prompting.

His friends don’t ask who the strange child is, just accept him into the little circle they’ve got going on in the middle of Tsuna’s bedroom floor.

 

* * *

 

“Yuuto—“  
“ _Don’t_. Don’t talk to me right now, Reborn.”

Yuuto scrubs a hand through his hair and then settles his gaze on the pink-haired woman. She hadn’t made a move to get closer to the kids while they walked from the school to the apartment, even though anytime Hayato stumbled she’d jolt forward as if she wanted to go him. But why? Why the concern over Hayato?

“You... Bianchi.” Yuuto grunts and the young woman finally looks away from the front door to him. “I wasn’t trying to kill you—“ She begins and he wants to snort loudly at that. Trying to not kill him? _Yeah, right_. Yuuto cuts her off with a gesture and, ”That’s not what I want to talk about, not with _you_. What I want is for you to tell me why the teenager, that’s been living with my nephew and I, reacted like that at just seeing you. I want to know why Hayato is having a panic attack, that he’s inside recovering from, the likes of which I haven’t seen since Tsuna started living with me after his mother _died_.”

His demand earns a wince and downturned eyes. 

 

* * *

 

Bianchi hadn’t been father or mother's favorite, as she was the product of a loveless marriage, but in her eyes they had always tried for her. Father was doting if distant and mother liked dressing her up. She was young enough for the lack of attention and affection to not affect her at first, then Hayato was born. Bianchi hadn't understood why mother didn’t like Hayato, why the woman ignored and seemed to actively resent him. Hayato was cute, tiny and had silver hair, which fascinated the Bianchi. She was in love the moment she saw him and swore that she’d be the _best_ big sister to her baby brother.

As her brother grew up, he began showing an interest in playing the piano, telling Bianchi once that a nice woman gave him lessons sometimes. She didn’t get why he liked the piano, having no interest in playing music herself, but she did her best to encourage him. It’s what even started her interest in cooking, as Hayato often forgot to eat when practicing. Bianchi hadn't wanted her little brother to starve himself on accident so she took it upon herself to learn to cook and feed him when he would forget.

Their father noticed Hayato’s growing talent with a piano, realizing his son was nearly a prodigy at it and for a time, everything was great. Bianchi made cookies and other snacks for her brother, Hayato began performing piano recitals to larger and larger crowds and their father seemed proud of them. Even mother had started warming up to Hayato.

Bianchi thinks it would have continued getting better if she had never undergone training to awaken her flame core at nine, a whole year earlier than recommended for children. She had wanted to impress father and mother, and after wearing them down for several months they had agreed to let her start training.

Slowly, her volatile and wild storm flames infected her cooking and it was her brother that suffered for it. His music began changing, playing discordantly in rash and erratic movements every time he ate the food she made. It only made his recitals more popular, drawing more praise and good reputation to their family. Pushing her farther and farther into obscurity in their parent’s eyes and making a jealousy grow inside her. But father encouraged Bianchi to make something for Hayato to eat every time he had a performance and she did, eating up the rare praise the adult gave her for it which helped keep her jealousy at bay. She didn’t know any better, didn’t realize what her flames were doing to the food... or why father was always so insistent that she be the one to make it for Hayato.

Her relationship with her brother started to deteriorate shortly after Hayato turned eight and the truth of his parentage was revealed. His mother was the woman that first gave lessons to Hayato on the piano, who encouraged and visited him three times a year. She had died on the way to visit him for his birthday.

Bianchi had suspected as she got older that Lavina was more than the piano teacher, as father watched the woman with a longing gaze and mother glared whenever they were in the same room, but she had never thought that Lavina was her brother’s mother. Why would she when her own mother claimed Hayato was her son for years? It had come as a shock and drove a wedge between Bianchi and Hayato. Her brother, because he’d never be half of anything in her eyes, didn’t believe she hadn’t known about it.

The fight that occurred, mere months after the truth of Hayato's parentage came out, when it was discovered what her food was doing only drove the wedge between them deeper. Bianchi had been horrified to know that she had been poisoning her little brother for so long, hurting him over and over. The fact that father had encouraged all of it and had known, only made it worse for them both. Hayato didn’t believe her when she told him she hadn’t been aware about any of it, accused her of doing it all because it made father praise her. Her little brother’s distrust and resentment towards the family had grown too strong... and she had become included in that circle of distrust with the reveal of what her flames had been doing to her food.

Hayato abandoned the piano, fought against their father every day and avoided her as best he could. Bianchi hadn't let him get away with avoiding her until the first time her brother had a panic attack when looking at her, then she started avoiding him too. She hadn't wanted to hurt Hayato anymore than she already had... and his distrust of her, becoming sickened at the mere sight of her, hurt Bianchi too. Though it was their father’s fault, she had blamed herself more in the end as she should have noticed what her flames were doing. They were _her_ responsibility, weren’t they? Sometimes she would wonder if a part of her had known she was poisoning the food, but that her jealous feelings had kept her from acknowledging it. Would wonder if Hayato was right about her ignoring what should have been obvious because she wanted father to praise her for a good job.

When Hayato begun seeking out the doctor and assassin their family hired, Bianchi had known her little brother was preparing to leave. She didn’t try to stop him. He left shortly after the doctor’s contract ended with their family, going with the man instead of staying in their broken home and Bianchi never blamed Dr. Shamal for giving Hayato the tools to leave, for letting her brother go with him. She trusted the doctor to take care of her brother better than her family did, and kept where her brother had ran off to a secret.

It had been the least she could do for him. 

 

* * *

 

“And that’s why... that’s why he can’t look at me without having an attack like that. If I had known he was _here_... I wouldn’t have come even though my love asked.” Bianchi finishes and he stares at her blankly. The silence stretches on before Yuuto palms his face, groaning into his hands and ignoring the way his skull aches. What is with the Mafia in having shit parents?!

First it was his thirteen year old and  _civilian_ nephew being chosen to become the heir of the underworld’s most prolific Mafia group, without his real father fighting the decision at all. This being the same father who doesn't know his own wife is dead and his son is living with the his brother-in-law because Iemitsu hasn't checked on his own family in _eight years_. Then it was Lambo, an actual child, being sent to assassinate someone who is so far out of their league that it was basically suicide. That hadn’t even be the _truth_ in the end! It was a cover story for the fact that the little boy was really sent to become Tsuna’s Lightning guardian. No one had even told Lambo that was the real reason he was actually being sent to Namimori. And can't forget to mention the fact that the kid's family told Lambo that he couldn’t return until he completed his mission. _Who the hell did that to a five year old?!_

And now there’s this. Yuuto pushes away the pangs of sympathy he had started to feel for Bianchi as she told him her and Hayato’s history.

_She nearly killed you. Don’t be sympathetic just because her relationship with her sibling is more fucked up than yours had been with your own sister._

“And... this happens anytime he sees your face?” Yuuto asks, peering at her tiredly from over the tops of his fingers. He’s not going to even touch the ‘love’ thing the woman has been saying anytime she refers to Reborn. One weird and fucked up thing at a time is all he can handle at this moment. Bianchi nods at him, her face drawn with an old kind of hurt.

 _Ugh. God. No, bad Yuuto! Don’t sympathize!_  ... fuck, he’s sympathizing.

“I’m going to ignore the fact that you tried to _kill me_ , that you went after my nephew _and_ his friends, to give you some advice.” Yuuto begins and crosses his arms as he stares her right in the eye.

“I’m going to assume that you’ll be staying in Namimori for Reborn, despite the fact that you just said you wouldn’t have come if you had known your brother was here.” He states and Bianchi begins to nod while glancing to Reborn, who hasn’t said a word since Yuuto started questioning the young woman. Yuuto is betting the hitman is waiting for Bianchi to leave before trying to talk to him and he’s not looking forward to that conversation. He’s still angry and, though it’s not the near-fury it had been at the track field, he knows the moment he starts talking to Reborn the anger is going to spike up.

“Yeah, forget that.” Yuuto says and Bianchi’s brows furrow together, mouth starting to open. He knows she’s going to deny what he saidand cuts her off before she can do so.

“ _Forget it_. If you’re staying in this goddamn town, then you stay because of your brother. You want to mend whatever you can between you two, right?” He’d noticed the same look in her eyes when she spoke of Hayato that Yuuto had seen in his own for years after he cut off contact with his sister and would think of Nana. Bianchi wanted to reach out to her brother, to try and repair their relationship and Yuuto really, really hates how much he identifies with that.

She gives a hesitant nod and it seems sincere as far as he can tell. “Then stay for _him,_ not for Reborn. Or you’ll get run out of Namimori.” Yuuto grumbles and Bianchi's gaze turns dubious on him, clearly not believing his threat.

But it’s not him she’ll need to fear. Yuuto still remembers the words whispered to him that night at the Hibari’s manor. He has blanket permission to call on a favor from the Hibari's mother and Yuuto knows that Hibari Asuka is a powerful person in Namimori. Her family's name is everywhere, due to them being the founding family of the town centuries ago, and she was on the city council too. It had also become very obvious from the way Reborn had blatantly watched the woman, not trying to hide the fact that he was at all, with caution and wariness all night that Hibari Asuka is someone powerful in the underworld too.

Yuuto is completely willing to use the blanket favor she's given him on getting Bianchi out of Namimori if he has too.

“But Reborn—“  
“No. No Reborn’s. _Nothing_. You either stay to try and repair your relationship with Hayato, or you get the fuck out.”

They glare at each other in silence but Bianchi breaks first, glancing away and voice quiet as she murmurs, “I don’t know how to—”

“Then fucking find a way and stop wasting time!” Yuuto snaps at her,. He’s not surprised that he’s starting to get pissed now as all of this is dragging up memories of Nana, of their last conversation, to the forefront of his mind. How many times had he put off contacting his sister because he didn’t know what to say? Because he was scared of what she would say? That Nana  wouldn’t want to mend their relationship?

Seeing the same thing in this woman that he saw in himself years ago, when Bianchi still has time to change it, is making him angry and bitter. Yuuto doesn’t have that time anymore... he ran out long ago.

 

* * *

 

Bianchi stares at Tanaka in silence once again. She’s run out of things to say and glances to Reborn, wishing the hitman would speak up and take over this conversation. But Reborn spares her a single glance and then goes back to petting Leon, making her bite the inside of her cheek at the clear dismissal. It stings.

Looking down at her feet, she thinks over the options she’s been given. Stay for Hayato, and not for Reborn? Stay for the brother she let go of because she didn’t want to hurt him anymore, or leave because of someone that she feels the closest to out of anyone she knows?

Bianchi glances to Reborn out of the corner of her eye again, but he’s still ignoring her and she grits her teeth. Why won’t he say anything? Did she mess up that badly? She wasn’t really trying to kill the Vongola heir's Lightning, but... maybe she should have stayed around when the man hit the counter and fell unconscious. Made sure that he wouldn’t die from a head injury. Maybe then Reborn wouldn’t be ignoring her, would stand up for her over this. Would pay attention and stop ignoring her.

“ _Well?_ What’s it going to be?” Tanaka’s voice drags Bianchi from her thoughts. She doesn’t know how this man could run her out of town but Reborn's silence over the whole thing makes her wonder if there is a way. Her love wouldn’t let that happen to her though, right? He’s the one who called her here, after all!

“I’m staying in this town.” She says, clenching her fists and Tanaka eyes her closely as he asks, “Staying for who?”

Her breath catches in her throat at his question. Who? She doesn’t know. How can she make a decision like that? Bianchi casts a final glance to Reborn and he’s staring at her this time, keenly interested in her answer. “Reb—“ She stops herself at the look in the Arcobaleno’s eyes. Only the years Bianchi had worked alongside him allowing her to catch the minute flash of annoyance and... disappointment. It’s the disappointment that hurts her the most and causes her to change her answer.

“I’ll stay for Hayato...” She finally manages but it tastes like ash on her tongue, like a lie, because she’s terrified to try and interact with her brother. Scared to try and approach the mess that is their relationship. She fears she’ll fail.

“I hope you mean it.” Tanaka says flatly.

Privately, Bianchi hopes she means it too. 

 

* * *

 

Hayato startles when someone holds a glass of water in front of his face. “H-Here, I got you some more water.” Tsuna murmurs to him as he takes it, hands still shaking slightly and his boss sits next to him in the semi-circle on the floor everyone's created.

Hayato stares at the glass for a moment before lifting it to his lips and taking a sip. The water soothes his still aching throat and Hayato ends up tipping the glass back, sucking the rest of the water down. “Extremely pace yourself, Hayato! You could make yourself sick again!” Sasagawa speaks, reaching for the glass and taking it from him. It’s already empty but... the sentiment is nice.

The group of teens are quiet, even the Bovino kid is unusually subdued. Hell, even the damn prefect hasn’t made a peep since they entered Tsuna’s bedroom and all sat on the floor. It’s Yamamoto who breaks the uncomfortable silence, asking, “Are you feeling better?”

Hayato glances to the other teen and nods slowly. He does feel a bit better. His stomach isn’t clenching and threatening to rebel on him again now that he can’t hear or see Bianchi. God, his sister is _here_. A huge half of him wants to flee Namimori immediately, while a smaller half wants to go and seek her out.

“W-who was that, Hayato?” Tsuna questions and Hayato’s brows pinch, mouth tugging down at the question. “S-She’s...” He tries but his tongue just won’t work with him.

Something chimes suddenly, startling everyone but Hibari, who calmly fishes his phone out of his jacket. The prefect’s ringtone is the Namimori Middle theme of all things. Hibari squints as he reads whatever he was just sent and then looks up at Hayato. “The pink woman has left the vicinity, the Spider has confirmed. You’re safe now, Baboon.” The teenager intones, slipping his phone away and gaze narrowing as he says, “Now, who was she? You better tell me or I’ll bite you to death.”

“Don’t push him if he doesn’t want to tell us, Hibari.” Yamamoto says, and the prefect’s eyes turn to other with a glare. “H-he’s right, Kyouya!” Tsuna speaks up before Hibari can say anything, and then turns to Hayato. “It’s okay if you don’t want to tell us, you don’t have too. B-but if you do, we’re all here for you...” Tsuna’s voice is calm and encouraging as he offers a reassuring smile.

Hayato isn’t entirely sure that all of them are there for him like his boss says though. Tsuna and Sasagawa he would believe, but Yamamoto? Hibari? No, they’re here for Tsuna and each other. He really doesn’t want to talk about this... but it’s his boss and friend asking him so Hayato untangles his tongue as best he can and says, “T-that was Bianchi... she’s my sister...”

The room goes deathly quiet and Hayato instantly wishes he could take it back.

“That was your _sister?_ ” Yamamoto is the first to speak, expression gobsmacked and Hayato nods as looks down at his hands. “Y-you had a panic attack because of your sister?” Tsuna says to him in confused astonishment.

“What’s a panic attack?” Lambo suddenly questions, big eyes swiveling back and forth between everyone from the child's perch on Tsuna’s bed. “It’s where someone has an extreme reaction to something and feels _very_ bad.” Sasagawa addresses the little boy, face serious and adds, “If you see someone having one, you should extremely tell an adult, okay?”

“Okay...” Lambo says with a nod, but the child's eyes say he doesn't quite understand why. Hayato’s still weirded out by how quiet the kid is being and it only makes him feel even more off-kilter than he already is. “Hayato... why did you have a panic attack at seeing her?” Tsuna questions him, face drawn in concern and Hayato looks away from the shorter teen. He doesn’t want to talk about it but... he needs to say something, right?

“I-I ran away from home when I was nine. Went to live with a doctor that my family had under contract when I was younger. I-I haven’t seen Bianchi since.” He offers after a moment. Thinking of how long it’s been since he had heard from or seen his sister actually hurts. There’s always been a longing in him, that started up a year after he ran away to seek her out as he does miss his sister often, even if the thought of being around her scares him. The words start to tumble from Hayato, unable to stop himself from continuing now that he’s opened up about it even a little.

“When I was younger, I played the... the piano,—” He hasn’t thought of a piano since the truth was revealed to him about who Lavina was. “—and I was good. I was considered a prodigy and my fam—the family I lived with and they had me play for crowds of their peers by the time I was five. It brought in a good reputation for them, raised us up in the high society of the underworld.”

Everyone’s watching him, faces intent as they listen and it makes Hayato shrink in on himself but Tsuna touches his arm and gives him another reassuring smile. Hayato sucks in a shuddering breath and squares his shoulders, “Then I found out that the woman who taught me how to play the piano was—was—” He can’t get the words out as his throat feels tight and his eyes suddenly burn. Hayato sucks in another shuddering breath and composes himself, “—was my mother, and she died before I even knew about it.”

Tsuna makes a noise beside him and leans forward, wrapping him in a hug and Hayato can’t stop the tears this time. “S—she died and I never got the chance... the chance to be her son.”

“I-It’s okay, Hayato... you don’t have to tell us anymore.” Tsuna’s voice is muffled against his shoulder and Hayato swears he hears his boss's breathing hitch. “Yeah, Gokudera... you don’t have to say anymore. It’s okay...” Yamamoto speaks up and the other teen’s expression is sad on him. Hayato wants to be angry, wants to believe it’s pity he sees but there’s an understanding look in Yamamoto’s eyes that stops him. Sasagawa doesn’t say anything but judging by the boxing teen’s expression, he’s a hair away from joining Tsuna in hugging Hayato. Hibari's expression is one of discomfort at all the emotions being displayed by everyone, but Hayato swears he sees something like concern flash in the prefect’s eyes for barely a second.

“N-no... I’m not done.” He murmurs and gently pushes Tsuna away. “A-are you sure?” The smaller teenager asks, brows drawn and mouth pinching into a frown.

Hayato nods and continues. He still needs to talk about how his sister poisoned him.

 

* * *

 

Reborn watches Bianchi leave with a blank face. Yuuto told the young woman to not come around for a few days until she has an idea of what to do about Gokudera panicking at the sight of her face and the teenager has agreed to be around her, which is fine with Reborn.

He’s disappointed in her. Reborn had brought BIanchi here to test Tsunayoshi, and by proxy the teenager’s current guardian and future ones, by scaring them. He had hoped the perceived danger might awaken the Rain or Sun’s cores immediately as the Cloud has already done so, and he assumes it was Hibari Asuka who awakened her sons flames. But if danger wasn’t going to activate the last two guardian candidates cores then he’d have to put them through standard meditation, which could take days to months.

And Reborn had explicitly told Bianchi not to damage his student nor his student’s guardians while doing her task, and yet there is a massive bruise on the side of Yuuto’s face and temple. It’s obviously from being smashed into something and head injuries are generally associated with trying to actively kill someone in the underworld. Brains are quite fragile after all.

Then there’s the whole ‘lover’ thing.

“Are you going to let me talk now and stop ignoring me?” He asks finally, turning to look up at Yuuto. The man hadn’t so much as glanced in his direction the entire time Bianchi was here, and even now the other is avoiding looking towards him. It’s steadily been pissing Reborn off. It reminds him too much of those first few years after he was cursed, when no one would take him seriously or listen. After all, why would someone listen to an infant, especially when they were claiming to be one of the most feared hitmen in the world?

“Tsunayoshi wasn’t in any dange—“ Reborn starts, fists clenching against where they’re crossed on his arms, and Yuuto finally turns to look at him.

“Do I even acknowledge as a person to you?” The man spits out at him.

_What._

“Does Tsuna? Do his friends? Hell, does Bianchi?” Yuuto goes on and Reborn wonders where the other is going with this... he’s already not liking it. “Or are we all just little game pieces to you? Ways for you to pass the time and gain entertainment from?”  _Pass his time?_ Reborn scowls as he irritably questions, “You think I’d actually stay here if I didn’t want too?” He’d have never accepted this job if he wasn’t prepared to see it through to the end.

“I think you’re only staying here because you’re _obligated_ too, and you want a way out. Isn’t that what bringing her here was about?” Yuuto’s expression is slowly growing angrier despite how the man’s tone stays low and steady, not rising in pitch or volume at all.

Is he insinuating that Reborn brought Bianchi here hoping she’d kill Tsunayoshi and the teen’s guardians so he could back out of the job Timoteo hired him for? “I’d be careful what you say next, _Tanaka_.” Reborn hisses, hand twitching for his gun but the familiar weight of Leon isn’t on the brim of his fedora. When did his animal companion leave? He had been petting the small reptile mere minutes ago.

Yuuto snorts then retorts, “I’m done being careful with you, _Reborn_. If you kill me, you kill me, but I’m not letting you walk away from this without acknowledging that you fucked up.” and Reborn leaps up, getting a grip on the other’s shirt collar to drag the man to the ground with enough force to knock him breathless. Yuuto shouts in surprise and tries to scramble back but Reborn, despite his small cursed form, is stronger than an average adult and keeps the other in place.

His grip in Yuuto’s shirt tightens, fingers straining the material as he snarls angrily into the man’s face, “ _I don’t fuck up_.”

Yuuto snarls right back at him, eyes flashing green, “ _Yes you fucking do!_ You may think you’re untouchable but you’re still a person. People fuck up all the time, make mistakes, and guess what?! You made a big one by not telling anyone about her!” then snaps, “I could have _died_ today, Reborn!” and the large purple mark on the man's face stands out as he says it.

“But you didn’t! You’re _fine_.” Reborn frustratedly points out, gritting his teeth tightly as he glares and Yuuto nearly yells,“What about my nephew and his friends? I may have gotten lucky, but they’re children!”

Once again, it circles back to the man’s nephew. Reborn’s noticed this pattern, and he knows it's going to prove detrimental in the future. Yuuto is quick to move on from things done to himself, will grumble about it for a bit but doesn’t dwell on anything pertaining to himself for long. But when it comes to Tsunayoshi, it’s a different story entirely. Yuuto seems to hold grudges like no tomorrow against anything he perceives as having hurt his nephew, will snarl and rage in protective anger over the teenager. Everything centers on his nephew for Yuuto. Reborn would bet a fortune that it's a guilt complex over the death of the man's sister.

“Nothing would have happened, I was with him!” Reborn hisses out through his teeth. Does Yuuto not understand that he would protect Tsunayoshi? Does the man not realize that with Reborn around, the teenager is the safest he can be?

“Bianchi wasn’t a threat to your nephew or his friends! She was just going to scare them a little!”  
“How the hell am I supposed to know that when you won’t tell me anything!?”  
“You can trust me—”

“ _Trust you?!_ I don’t even fucking _know_ you!” Yuuto does yell at him this time with an incredulous tone of voice.

“It’s my job to train and protect your damn nephew, Yuuto! Why can’t you trust that?!” Reborn says and his grip tightens on the material of Yuuto’s shirt even more. This is his job and Reborn takes his jobs seriously, has never failed a single one— “Are you fucking _serious?_! I know you have the body of a baby but I could have sworn that you had the intelligence of an adult! _I guess I was wrong_.” Yuuto hisses furiously at him and his grip slackens for a second, which is just enough for the man to get out of it and scoot back on the ground, putting distance between them.

“ _I am an adult_.” Reborn growls darkly, fury flashing in his eyes as he takes a step towards Yuuto.

“Really? Because you sure don’t act like one—“  
“I am a fucking adult, Yuuto! Don’t you dar—“  
“ _Then acknowledge the fact that you made a mistake!_ ”

Reborn clicks his jaw shut and Yuuto continues with a tone that’s turning from angry, to frustrated and exasperated, “For fucks sake, Reborn! You could have told me about Bianchi. Could have told Tsuna! At least then we’d be prepared and on guard!”

“That would defeat the purpose of surprise attackers, Yuu—“ Reborn’s cut off by a frustrated shout of, “You still should have told me, at least! You say your job is to train Tsuna to become the Vongola’s next boss, well guess what my job is? To take care of my nephew and make sure he’s as safe as I can make him! I can’t do that if I don’t know _what the fuck is going on before it happens!_ ” Yuuto turns away from him, head in his hands and shoulders coiled with tension. Reborn’s not much better as he turns away slightly too, nails biting into his palms from how tight he’s clenching his fists.

Both of them go silent, refusing to look in each other’s direction. Did Yuuto really accuse him of making a mistake? _Ridiculous_. He had everything under control. Reborn’s eyes unintentionally flick to what he can see of Yuuto’s face through the man’s fingers.

He had _mostly_ everything under control. If Bianchi had just gone after Tsunayoshi first, none of this would even be happening. Why had she even gone to the apartment first, anyways? She knew the Vongola heir would be in school, that Reborn would be with hi— shit... this was his fault. Dammit.

He’d told her that Tsunayoshi already had a full guardian bond, a Lightning and an adult. Of course, Bianchi would go after the adult first. Adults have stronger cores than children nine out of ten times and she was just getting what could be the biggest threat out of the way first, just like any assassin worth their salt would. Reborn had assumed she’d go for his student first instead, because that’s where he would be. He had banked on her obsession for him, and he shouldn’t have. Though she had called him ‘lover’ over the phone when he got in contact with her and just earlier today, maybe it had just been a slip of the tongue and she had finally moved on from that.

A sigh from Yuuto makes Reborn glance over from the corner of his eye.

“You seem to think that just because of who you are in the underworld that it should be enough to have us roll over and do whatever you like without question.” Yuuto begins and pauses, hands clenching tightly. ”We’re not from your world, Reborn.” He pauses again, “ _I’m_ not from your world... all your shiny titles and the reputation you say you have means nothing to me. I don’t have the same values as someone born into your world would, and I don’t understand the ones you have... especially when you don’t make the effort to explain them.” Yuuto looks over at him finally and everything about the man looks wary, beat down and tired.

“Tsuna may be more trusting of you at face value, more adaptable to all of this, but _I’m not_. You can’t treat me like a civilian up until the point I have a problem with you or your methods. Then it’s like you can’t fathom why I would have a problem! Why I wouldn’t understand or accept it!”

“I’m _tired_ of fighting you, Reborn. You want me to trust you with my nephew, with all of... _this_... but you don’t give me anything. Trust is a two-way street and I’m never going to put mine in you if you can’t view me as your equal, can’t respect that I deserve to know what’s going on or what you’re planning. If you won’t just fucking talk to me like an actual adult.” The man sighs again and Reborn waits, but it seems that Yuuto is done talking.

He looks away, mulling over everything that’s been said in his mind. It’s true that he doesn’t tell the other much of anything, and maybe he should because Yuuto is Tsunayoshi’s guardian both in legal terms and in flame... but is it really that _simple_ to gain Yuuto’s trust? Just... tell him things before they happen? No, it’s more than that. Reborn has to treat him as his equal and that— that rankles him. _No one_ is his equal, not even the other Arcobaleno, but Yuuto isn’t speaking about their skills and abilities... 

 

* * *

 

It’s gone quiet once again and Yuuto would attempt to fill the uncomfortable silence, but he’s just so _tired_.

He had realized halfway through the argument that he was toeing the line again, and last time had nearly gotten him shot in the face.

But it can’t keep going on like this or Yuuto is going to lose his mind. He needs to know what Reborn is doing and planning before it happens. The hitman can’t keep leaving him in the dark about his nephew if the other wants his trust and cooperation. Yuuto can’t handle much more of this if it doesn’t change and he doesn’t want to breakdown, he can’t breakdown. Tsuna needs him.

“I’ll stop leaving you in the dark... if you stop fighting me on how I train Tsunayoshi.” Reborn suddenly speaks up.

“Deal.” Yuuto murmurs immediately, shoulders sagging as tension starts to leave him. He’s willing to compromise on this. After the incident with Misumi, Yuuto knows that if Reborn really _wanted_ to hurt Tsunayoshi, or anyone really, that the hitman could. But he hadn’t, the bullet to Yuuto’s cheek and dying will bullet incident notwithstanding. Even when Yuuto had constantly been on guard, always trying to get in the way of Reborn trying to wake Tsuna up with violent means, the times he hadn’t been able to prevent it were never truly harmful to his nephew. It was clear that Reborn was careful with his strength, where he’d strike Tsuna and just how far he’d take it.

Yuuto has experienced the physical strength the tiny hitman possesses twice today. The first was when Reborn kicked his legs out from under him and then kept him in place on the ground with a foot. Not even an average adult would be able to keep another from escaping them just by holding them down with their damn _foot_ , and Reborn has a baby’s body.

The other time occurred minutes ago when Reborn had yanked him, by only his shirt collar, to the ground. The only reason Yuuto managed to pull himself from the grip Reborn had was because the hitman relaxed it just enough for him to free himself.

So it’s become very clear now just how careful and in control of his own strength Reborn is to Yuuto.

Sighing tiredly, Yuuto stretches his arms above his head and then palms his face. “ _Ow_...” He grunts when his hand drags along the injured side. The rush of everything from before has died down, and he’s becoming aware again of the pounding ache in his temples as the adrenaline fades. He probably shouldn’t have touched his face—Something brushes along his hand and Yuuto peeks through his fingers, gaze swiveling over. “Let me see.” Reborn states, pulling this hand down from the injured side of his head.

Yuuto should probably be concerned of the other being this close to his person, considering the displays of strength from earlier, but he’s worn down right now. Too tired of always being wary of every little thing the tiny hitman does or might do. Reborn touches along the bruise and Yuuto can’t even bring himself to wince at how the prodding just makes the ache worse. “Does that hurt?” The other questions him, and Yuuto squints as he grumbles, “What do you think?” 

Reborn makes a tutting noise at him as he murmurs, “Don’t get snippy. I think we’ve had enough of that for today.” and Yuuto has to shut his eyes when the hitman's small palm lays flat against his temple and lights up with a yellow glow. “ _I wouldn’t call earlier being snippy, but okay_...” Yuuto mumbles under his breath. There’s a weird sensation starting up along where Reborn’s hand lays and his skin starts to tingle... he’s pretty sure his skull is getting itchy too. “What are you doing?” He asks, one eye peeling open to squint over the glow of yellow light at the other.

“As I told you, sun flames have the activation attribute. I’m checking the damage in your cranium right now.” Reborn replies, eyes focused on his task and Yuuto’s stare grows long prompting the hitman to finally glance at him over the silence, their gazes locking. Huh, there’s a golden glow in the black of Reborn’s eyes... does that always happen when someone uses their flames? Apparently Yuuto’s own eyes must say something about his confusion because Reborn rolls his.

“... I’m healing you.” The hitman says after a moment, tone implying the other thinks he should have already known that. “... ah...” Yuuto has no idea what to do with that information... Reborn’s healing him? Wait— “ _You can heal?!_ ” He blurts out, a little shocked at this and Reborn’s gaze goes flat. “I did tell you that sun flames are the best for healing, Yuuto. Do I need to write this down for you? Even Tsuna remembers this, and I’ve told him the same amount of times as you.”

“Actually... writing it down would be useful, yes.” Yuuto can’t help but snark, earning a sigh from Reborn whose gaze returns to where his palm lays.

“You have a hairline fracture along your temple and brow...” Reborn comments and the weird feeling along Yuuto’s face increases, beginning to grow warm. The itching sensation ramps up and his eye, closest to where it’s concentrated, twitches at it. This feels so bizarre. “Shouldn’t I go see a doctor about that then?” He asks, already making a mental note to give his a call. A fracture should definitely be seen by a doctor.

“I just said I’m _healing_ you, Yuuto. Besides, the traces of lightning flames along the fractures tell me that your flames reacted to you falling. Hardening in the split second it took for your head to make contact with whatever you hit it on and preventing serious injury. If they hadn’t, then you wouldn’t have gotten back up after falling unconscious. I knew your flames had good reflexes...” Reborn says, trailing off and expression focused as he continues knitting Yuuto’s head back together.

It’s quiet for a moment and then, “So, she really did almost kill me.” He knew it. Yuuto pointedly watches the other, silently urging the other to look at him. Reborn does so after a moment, clearly not wanting too, but Yuuto isn’t going to let up on the stare.

“... yes.” Reborn mutters as their eyes meet. “... and?” Yuuto prompts and Reborn’s expression slowly starts morphing into a glower as the hitman grits out, “... and I made a mistake.”

“ _And?_ ” He prompts further, making Reborn grumble under his breath, “ _Now who's the one acting like a child_...” as his fingers dig just a bit into Yuuto’s temple, but he must work fast because Yuuto barely feels a twinge of pain at the action.

“And, Reborn?” He prompts again because he’s not letting this go, not when Reborn is being accommodating. Not when they’ve finally reached a compromise and are supposed to be trying to actually work together, to get along. Reborn is fully glaring at him now but Yuuto just peers at the other imploringly, waiting for the response.

“... and I’m sorry. _Happy?_ ” Reborn finally snaps out in a mullish tone and Yuuto immediately replies with a deadpan toned, “ _Ecstatic_.” as he tries to keep a straight face. He fails and a smile slowly spreads a moment later, laughter bubbling up in his chest as his eyes close. He’s so tired and done with everything right now that he’s reached the point of this being the height of hilarity.

“Why the hell are you laughing?” Reborn grunts at him, palm sliding from Yuuto’s face. The hitman must be completely done with healing him then.

“It’s just... _everything_. The Mafia has magic fire powers, my nephew is apparently royalty to criminals... Somehow I have two extra kids. You’re a baby but not really... my kitchen is demolished, my couch is melted— hell, I was almost killed by a pink-haired woman who uses weaponized food!—” Yuuto says in between laughing, “— now you’ve agreed to stop keeping me in the dark and you healed me! You even admitted you made a mistake! You actually said _sorry_ for something, Reborn! You haven't apologized for a damn thing since you got here!”

“... _you’re weird_.” Reborn mutters in response and Yuuto’s eyes crack open for a second, catching sight of the expression on the tiny hitman’s face. “Seriously, Reborn!” He gasps out, trying to calm down, “It’s like the plot of a soap opera—  _Oh my god, my life is a soap opera!_ ” His nephew is inheriting a crime family, a dangerous hitman has come to train said nephew, now there’s sibling drama and Yuuto has nearly been killed twice. Once by someone he’s supposed to be trusting, who happens to be the dangerous hitman, and the other by a crazy young woman. A crazy woman who may or may not somehow be the 'lover' of the one he's supposed to be trusting... which sounds exactly like something that would happen in the ludicrous and often times batshit plots of soap operas.

“... If this is a soap opera then I want a better paycheck. My acting talents aren’t cheap for episodic material.” Reborn monotones and he stops laughing, staring at the other as a silence grows between them, but then Reborn’s lips curl just slightly and Yuuto snorts out, “I’m not even _getting_ a damn paycheck for this shit!”

“Better call your agent then.” Reborn snarks and this time does smile, a chuckle leaving the other when Yuuto descends into a hysterical laughing fit again and curls in on himself at the force of it.

Slowly, his laughter dies down and Yuuto sucks in gasps of air as he calms. Good god, he hasn’t laughed that hard in years.

“Do you mean it?” Yuuto asks after his lungs stop protesting for air. “Mean what?” Reborn says with a hum next to him. “Don’t be coy, Reborn.” He retorts, squinting down at the other and Reborn sighs as he rolls his shoulders, “Yes, Yuuto. I meant it. I’ll stop leaving you in the dark and actually tell you things before they happen, if you stop interfering and let me train Tsunayoshi how I want.”

Yuuto nods, feeling appeased at the answer and follows the other's gaze out across the street, a calm quiet settling between them. It’s nice. Feels like they’ve finally reached an understanding of some sort. This probably isn’t the end of their problems with each other, Yuuto’s not naive enough to think they won’t have issues about something in the future, but it’s a start.

He’s not sure how much time has passed since he sent the kids into the apartment and told them to not come out, but it’s staring to get dark out with the stars just barely peeking in the sky when Reborn clears his throat. “We should get inside before your nephew decides to come out and make sure I haven’t killed you yet.” The tiny hitman jokes and gets up, heading for the apartment stairway and Yuuto watches him go. That was three jokes, none of them mocking or malicious. _Three_.

“I think you should be more worried about _me_ killing _you_. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that parents are the deadliest when their kids are in danger?” Yuuto jokes back with a tired grin as he gets up too follow.

Swinging the door open for them both when they've reached the second floor of the apartment building, Yuuto starts to step in when Reborn's face spreads into a shit-eating grin and the hitman says, “Wouldn’t I be safe from that danger... _Daddy~?_ ” then slips inside past his frozen form.

 _No_. He didn’t. They were having a moment, getting along even, _and Reborn ruined it!_

 

* * *

 

The atmosphere in his room is solemn, Hayato having finished explaining his history with his sister minutes ago. No one’s been willing to talk, to break the silence that’s settled. Not even Lambo has said anything, realizing that now isn’t the time and Tsuna glances at all of his friends faces. Everyone has varying expressions of sadness and confusion. How could Hayato’s own sister poison him with her food? How could his father not put a stop to it? Was the fame the man’s family received from Hayato’s tripped out piano performances that good?

Tsuna scowls to himself. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t excuse it in his eyes. He looks to Hayato and feels his heart clench as he thinks of the similarities between them. The silver-haired teen is a lot like him. Horrible father figure, dead mother... even being forced into situations that you didn’t want, with the whole ‘play the piano while we poison you’ thing. Hayato got out of his problem, but Tsuna is stuck in the one his bloodline has tied him too.

The only difference is Hayato has a sister that also hurt him... and no one like Tsuna’s uncle to take care of him in the aftermath. He would say that maybe the doctor the teen mentioned was the equivalent of Tsuna’s uncle for Hayato, but if that’s the case then where is this doctor? Why did he let Hayato come to Namimori alone?

Kyouya suddenly standing grabs everyone’s attention. “I’m leaving now. The pink menace is gone, there isn’t a reason for me to stay here.” The prefect mutters, heading to Tsuna’s bedroom door.

“But my uncle said to stay in he—”  
“I’m still leaving, Little Animal.”

Tsuna sucks in his bottom lip and gives a hesitant nod. He guesses that’s okay... if Bianchi isn’t here anymore than there really isn’t a reason for the other to stay as no one is in danger now. Kyouya pauses at the door as he opens it and looks straight over to Hayato. “ _Baboon_.” The prefect grunts and Hayato glances up, not even giving a protest at the nickname. “If this woman gives you issues... I will bite her to death for you.” Kyouya grumbles like saying it physically pained him and then leaves, cellphone out and thumb flying across it’s buttons.

Tsuna turns to the rest of his friends, uncertain what to do now, when his uncle’s voice rings through the apartment.

“ _Reborn! Don’t call me that!_ ”

He then hears Kyouya say something to his uncle, and the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching in the hallway. Not a moment later Tsuna’s door opens all the way and there stands Yuuto. “Everyone okay?” The adult asks immediately, gaze sweeping across them all and Lambo suddenly bursts into tears then leaps from Tsuna’s bed, running straight to Yuuto and wrapping himself around one of the man’s legs. “L-LAMBO W-WAITED IN THE ROOM LIKE YOU S-SAID!” The little boy wails and Tsuna’s uncle leans down, picking the kid up into his arms.

“That’s good, I’m very proud that you did, Lambo.” Yuuto murmurs, coming into the bedroom all the way and Tsuna stands to go over to his uncle, nervously biting his lip. He wants to know what happened with the woman, and with Reborn. Yuuto had actually tried to attack the hitman at the track field and Tsuna is honestly a bit scared what that means for them now, if it could change anything for the worst. His intuition doesn't seem to think so, but Tsuna has always been a bit of a worry-wart.

“H-how did it go?” He whispers under his breath and his uncle shoots him a look. “We’ll talk about it later but you can relax... the woman’s gone and Reborn and I aren’t going to be killing each other anytime soon.”

Tsuna relaxes instantly at the answer, sagging where he stands and pitching forward to press his face against Yuuto’s torso, avoiding the sniffling form of Lambo.

“Mr. Tanaka... the bruise on your face is gone?” Takeshi questions and both Tsuna and his uncle look to the teenager. Tsuna can tell by his friend's face that his question wasn’t really what he wanted to ask but Takeshi doesn't say anything else. Glancing back to Yuuto, Tsuna peers up and realizes with a start that the ugly bruise that had been on the side of his uncle’s face is gone. There’s barely any hint of discoloration to man’s skin at all to indicate it was even there in the first place.

“Someone decided it was an eyesore and got rid of it for me.” Yuuto says and leans down, putting Lambo on the ground who instantly reattaches himself to the man’s leg. Got rid of it? Tsuna squints and then it comes to him. _Sun flames!_ Those can heal! Which means... Reborn healed Yuuto’s face?

Hope sparks in Tsuna’s chest. That has to mean something good, right? His intuition warms in the back of his mind, confirming his pondering.

“Now... I’m sure you boys have questions, but it’s late and frankly, I'm exhausted. I’ll call your parents to come and escort you home since it’s dark ou—” His uncle begins, hands on his hips, but Ryohei jumps up to interrupt.

“It’s extremely okay, Mr. Tanaka! My parents aren’t in town right now and I need to get home to Kyoko... she’s probably extremely worried.” The boxer exclaims and Takeshi stands too, slinging an arm over Ryohei’s shoulders. “Yeah, and I was actually going to spend the night at Ryohei’s place. Dad’s doing some renovations at the restaurant and my bedroom’s kind of unusable.” Takeshi says, scratching his cheek with a sheepish smile.

“Well... I can walk you guys to Ryohei’s house th—”

Both teens shake their head. “No, Mr. Tanaka. We’ll be alright. Ryohei’s house isn’t far and it’s not that dark out yet.” Takeshi points out and Yuuto squints at them, not convinced but Ryohei’s shout of agreement makes Tsuna’s uncle sag in place and give in. “Alright, but can one of you give me a call when you get there?” The adult asks, moving away from the door to let them pass.

“Sure thing!” Takeshi replies, Ryohei already out the door and yelling a goodbye to Tsuna then an extreme goodbye to Hayato. Tsuna waves to his friends, a bit surprised at their hasty retreat but he guesses it has been a crazy day. They’re probably weirded out... and tired. “Well, they left fast...” Yuuto murmurs as he ruffles the back of his head, staring at the open door.

“That’s my fault, I guess...” Hayato speaks up and fidgets when Tsuna’s uncle turns his gaze to him. “You okay, Hayato? Do I need to get you something?” Yuuto questions and Tsuna watches his friend turn red in embarrassment. “N-no! I’m fine! I-It was nothing...” The teen quickly stutters out.

“Kid... I haven’t seen a panic attack that bad in years. It wasn’t _nothing_.” His uncle says and crosses his arms. “... I’ll be okay... as long as I don’t see her face again.” Hayato mumbles, looking down at his hands and not making eye contact with either of them.

“Right. About that... I know about what happened between you two. I got the story from her. She’s staying in Namimori, not here but a hotel, and she’s agreed to stay away from us for a few days. Just until she figures out how to be around you without causing a meltdown like that again.” Yuuto begins and both boys look at him. “But, and I want you to be a hundred percent with me here kid, do you want her to be around you at all?”

Tsuna looks at Hayato, eyes the other teen closely. His friend’s face is frozen, eyes wide and surprised, at the question.  
“W-why is she staying in Namimori? Her job failed... is it for the Arcoba—” Hayato starts to ask but stops when Yuuto shakes his head. “No... well, yes. Most of it is, but take it from someone who knows all about broken sibling bonds... your sister misses you. A good part of her is staying because she wants her little brother back, even if she doesn’t want to acknowledge that.”

Hayato’s face turns shocked, mouth hanging open.

“But, what she wants doesn’t matter. What do _you_ want? Because if you want her gone then I promise you, I'll make her leave, Hayato.”

“Why would you even care?! I’m just some freeloader in your apartment!” His friend suddenly snarls and Tsuna is feels surprise at the outburst.

His uncle sighs, “I had a sister too, you know. We had a pretty bad relationship after she got with Tsuna’s real father. Cut off all contact with each other... so I know what it feels like to lose your sibling like that.”

 

* * *

 

Hayato grits his teeth, hands clenching until his nails dig into his palms. Mr. Tanaka couldn’t possibly know what it’s lik—

“And I also know what it’s like to be at the funeral of your sibling and realize that you ran out of time.” The man says and Hayato stills. The man’s sister was dead? But that... _oh_. He is such an idiot. Hayato glances to where Tsuna is standing, his boss's  face is saddened with old grief. How did he not realize that the reason Tsuna was living with his uncle was because of something like that?! How could he not have realized something so obvious? The clues were right there in his face!

“So, if any part of you wants your sister back in your life... then I’m telling you to take that chance because, _one day_ , you won’t have it anymore.” Mr. Tanaka finishes and Hayato calms himself down, really thinks over what has been said. Does he want Bianchi back in his life? If you had asked him that the first couple of years he ran away, Hayato would have said no with prejudice, but now... “How would you even get her out of Namimori, Mr. Tanaka? My sister has a reputation as a hitwoman for a reason...” He asks instead of answering the other's question.

“I have a powerful source that owes me a favor, and I’d be willing to use that favor on getting Bianchi out if that’s what you want. I promise you, this person would be able to do that.”

Does Hayato want his sister gone? To have her chased out of Namimori?

He’s not entirely sure he still believes that she hadn’t known who Lavina actually was, but Shamal had set Hayato straight about the food poisoning. It was a very big possibility that his sister had _not_ known that her flames were infecting the food she made and thinking back on her horrified reaction... she had seemed genuine in her shock.

“I’d... I’d like to give it a chance...” He murmurs hesitantly after a moment. Hayato does want his sister back, he’s just... scared and uncertain of how to do that.

“Alright. She’ll probably show up in a few days around here then... if you need anything, or if you change your mind, let me know right away.” Mr. Tanaka says and Hayato nods.

 

* * *

 

Yuuto scrubs at his face tiredly. He wants to go to sleep but Tsuna is peering at him with an imploring gaze. Hayato had gone to the spare room, asking to be left alone for the rest of the night and he doesn’t blame the kid... he’d probably be the same way if Nana suddenly waltzed back into his life out of the blue and claimed to want to get back in touch. He avoids thinking about how she’s _dead_ and that will never be possible.

“Can you tell me what happened now?” His nephew asks and Yuuto sighs as he takes a seat on the teen’s bed next to Lambo, who had fallen asleep a couple of minutes ago. “Yeah, ask away.” He murmurs and Tsuna sits next to him, avoiding the sleeping child too.

“... what happened with the lady?”  
“Exactly what I told Hayato. She’s still here in Namimori and won’t be leaving unless someone makes her.”  
“D-does she really want to fix her relationship with him?”

There’s an edge of protective anger in his nephew’s voice and Yuuto smiles slightly. Tsuna can be pretty tenacious in the protection of his friends, and his friends are just as protective of each other too.

“As far as I can tell, there is a genuine desire in that but it’s overshadowed by her fears.” And the weird obsession with Reborn.  
“Okay... and what about Reborn?”

Yuuto sighs at Tsuna's question. What about Reborn, indeed. They’ve reached a compromise, an understanding, and Yuuto’s hysterical mini meltdown of laughter earlier definitely eased something between them. “It’s okay, Tsuna. Reborn and I... I think we’re going to start getting along with each other now. You don’t need to worry, okay? Let me handle that.”

His nephew goes quiet for a moment, eyes drifting away before coming back to then gaze at the side of Yuuto’s face where the bruise would have been.

“... did he really heal your face?”  
“Yep... even _apologized_ to me.”  
“ _No!_ He never apologizes to me, what the hel—”  
“Language.”  
“— _heck_. Seriously! I want an apology for the dogs!”  
“... _dogs?_ What dogs?”

His nephew suddenly turns sheepish, eyes getting shifty as the teenager stops looking at him and Yuuto groans, “You know what... nevermind. I’ll just ask him tomorrow.” And Reborn better tell him. The hitman said he’d start telling him things and not keep him in the dark anymore. Yuuto’s pretty sure he’s not going to like whatever has to do with these dogs, but he’s going to guess it’s something to do with training and if it is— Ugh. He’s going to have to let it go if it is.

“... Y-you can trust him, you know...” Tsuna says nervously and Yuuto’s eyes narrow onto his nephew. “... Do _you_ trust him?” He asks after a moment and watches the teenager pick at a stray string on his shirt, chewing at his bottom lip.

“Yeah... I do. It might not make sense but I just... I _know_ I can trust him. He isn’t going to hurt me and, he’s not trying to hurt you... you just don’t make it easy and that frustrates him, I think...” The boy mumbles and peeks up at him from under messy bangs. Yuuto snorts and scratches the back of his neck as he mumbles, “Yeah, well, he frustrates me too.” He has no idea how his nephew can trust Reborn at face value but kids are more resilient, adapt more easily and who knows... maybe Tsuna is aware of something he isn’t. The kid has always been weirdly perceptive.

They go quiet, conversation lulling and just sit next to each other in his nephew's room. Yuuto’s eyes slip shut for a moment and he rolls his head along his shoulders. Damn, he needs to go to sleep. A yawn breaks free from him and, not a moment later, Tsuna does the same.

“Time for bed.” Yuuto grunts and his nephew flops backwards, making an agreeing noise. “Change into your pajamas, kiddo. I’ll see you in the morning.” He says and stands, groaning as his back cracks with the stretch he does. Carefully, so as not to wake him, Yuuto picks Lambo up into his arms. He’ll have to let the child sleep in his own bed since the couch is destroyed. Tsuna rolls off the covers, slumping to his feet, and then heads to the dresser by the room’s window.

Yuuto’s just about to leave when Tsuna calls his name quietly and he turns towards the teenager. His nephew is clutching his pajamas and staring down at them with a frown. “Yeah?” Yuuto questions, stifling another yawn as he stands in the doorway.

Tsuna looks up, face oddly serious and, “You can trust him...” He repeats.  
Yuuto blinks slowly, trying to parse if there is a hidden meaning in what his nephew just said while Tsuna continues to stare at him. There’s a slight orange tint in the depths of his nephew's eyes. Is this a flame thing?

“... Alright, Tsuna. I’ll trust him.”  _As best as I can._

 

* * *

 

He slips outside quietly, the cool air of the night brushing Reborn's face as he goes down the apartment's stairway and then takes a seat on the edge of the street curb. Everyone else is asleep but he wasn’t ready to head to bed just yet... and he’s missing a certain someone right now too.

“Finally came crawling back, did you?” Reborn grumbles, catching sight of Leon coming out of a bush and ambling towards him. He holds his hand out, letting the chameleon crawl onto it and then frowns at the reptile as he lifts the other closer to his face. “I can’t believe you just left like that... ” Reborn huffs and Leon sticks his tongue out, blinking overly large eyes at him. “I’ll just start carrying around spare guns if you’re going to up and leave whenever you want... I don’t care if you get jealous, you shouldn’t have left!”

Leon looks away from him, tail curling and Reborn scoffs, “You like Yuuto? You’ve barely interacted with the ma— you think it’s _funny_ that he’s making things difficult for me? Whose side are you on?!” He scowls and pokes Leon lightly, who looks back at him and blinks again.

“Oh, yes, it’s _hilarious_ that a civilian is giving me this much trouble, _hahaha_... of course I know what I’m doing, Leon.” Reborn says and rolls his eyes. This is unbelievable.

“Yes... Yes, _I know_ , Leon. I’m going to start telling him things... _and yes_ , I know I need to start training him. I was going to wait until the seal on Tsunayoshi was broken, so he and his guardians could grow at the same pace— _what_... I am not avoiding my responsibilities just because Yuuto annoys me, Leon. I was just waiti— don’t get _sassy_ with me!”

Arcobaleno and chameleon stare at each other in silence, one glaring while the other seems completely unaffected by said glare. Reborn sighs in defeat after a moment, “Yes, okay. You’re right, I’m wrong. _This conversation is over_.” and Leon crawls up his arm, pressing his tongue to Reborn’s cheek as the little reptile passes then takes the usual perch back on the fedora. Reborn scowls at nothing, his arms crossed tightly. He cannot believe Leon just sassed him like that. Movement from the corner of his eye catches his attention, and Reborn’s glower turns onto the dark little shape that’s skittering along the sidewalk.

It’s a spider. Reborn’s scowl deepens at the little spindly creature as it moves closer. The language of arachnids is one that he's is familiar with, just as he is familiar with most animal languages, but it’s proven to be impossible to parse what this particular species of spider is saying. Which is a shame as with how many there are around here it’d be an amazing asset in spying on anyone in Namimori.

Still annoyed with Leon, Reborn flicks at the spider and tries to shoo it away. The little creature moves too quickly, slamming itself into his finger then disappating into a burst of indigo and Reborn tenses, sitting up straight.

He’s not alone.

“A wonderful night, don’t you think? Not too cold, or too hot...” Hibari Asuka’s voice murmurs from behind and then takes a seat next to him, tucking her yukata under her with practiced movements.

“You’re getting your yukata dirty, Mrs. Hibari.” Is all Reborn says as he stares at the woman with narrowed eyes. Well, now he knows why the spiders in Namimori were strange and indecipherable. He did notice they had felt off to his flame sense in the first place, but it had been barely a blip on his radar so he had ignored it. “Mmm, so I am... and call me Asuka. Mrs. Hibari makes me feel old.” The woman chuckles lightly, gaze settling on him instead of the flickering light down at the end of the street. “... what do you want.” Reborn says irritably, not in the mood to play any games right now. He can’t imagine she’d seek him out just to talk about the night.

“A soap opera really is the perfect analogy, isn’t it...” Asuka comments casually and Reborn twitches. “You heard?” He murmurs, irritation growing at the thought of her spying on that. He wants to reach for Leon but Asuka wouldn’t have revealed herself if she was here as a threat. That’s not how Mists, especially assassin ones, work.

“What do you think?” She replies with a quirked brow and then says, “ I wanted to congratulate you on finally reaching a compromise with Tanaka. Your apology was _lovely~_ Practice it often?” making Reborn’s jaw clench. He’s going to destroy every one of those damn spiders he comes across.

“Is that all you wanted?”

“Isn’t the Poison Scorpion a little too young for you?” She asks after a moment, head tilting to the side like a bird.

“I am not dating the Poison Scorpion.” Bianchi just has this silly little notion that she’s infatuated with him. Asuka hums, eyeing him closely and Reborn bristles as he adds, “She is just a little girl with a ridiculous crush. Happens all the time. She’ll grow bored, realize that I’m not interested, and move on. Bianchi isn’t the first starstruck person to claim they’re my lover.”

Asuka chuckles lowly at him, an amused look in her eyes as she says, “It’s rude to lead a girl on, Reborn.” Reborn’s voice is flat, eyes flashing with irritation, as he replies, “I think you should keep to your own business, _Asuka_.”

“All of Namimori is _my business_ , and I do not take kindly to uninvited assassins. The girl is lucky she mentioned her connection to you aloud when she entered town or she would have never left her hotel room.” Asuka’s eyes have gone cold, the humorous smile dimming on her face. “Do not do that again, _Arcobaleno_.”

“You’re powerful, but you’re not on my level, _Jorōgumo_. If we fought, you wouldn’t be able to kill me.” He sneers at her. She is powerful, Reborn doesn’t doubt that, but she wouldn’t be able to kill him. He has fought against Mammon in the past and his fellow Arcobaleno may not have been able to discover the identity of Jorōgumo all those years ago but, in a comparison of strength Mammon outranks Asuka by a mile.

And Reborn is the _Strongest_ of the Seven.

“No, but I would certainly maim you a bit. And, I _assure_ you, the person who would come after you for my death would be able to finish you off.”  
“ _Oh?_ And just who would that be.”  
“How surprising that you don’t already know. I thought you were sharper than that.”

Reborn growls at the perceived insult as Asuka stands, brushing the dirt from her yukata as she turns away from him. “It’s time for me to leave you now. Goodnight, Reborn~”

“Who is it.” He repeats, feeling the way the woman's flames rise and coil. Reborn wants an answer before she can disappear. He hates not knowing, and he’s curious as to who she thinks could actually take him out.

“The family resemblance should have given the identity away to you. You’ve worked closely with them in the past.” Asuka murmurs, looking at him from over her shoulder and Reborn’s eyes sharpen on her. Another Hibari then? He’s never worked with a Hibari and knows of none with a strength that could match him, and as far as he’s been able to tell the Hibari family isn’t very large. He already researched all the names he could find when digging for information on Asuka. So who? Asuka’s flames swirl and she’s gone before Reborn can demand an answer again, much to his annoyance.

... he really does hate Mists.

Getting to his feet, Reborn starts towards the apartment stairway and Leon’s head pokes past the brim of his fedora. “ _What?_ Going to sass me about her too?” He snaps and the chameleon flicks a pink tongue at him. “Oh, Asuka has a point, huh? Do tell, I’m _so_ curious... Bianchi isn’t an issue, Leo—“ Reborn scowls and comes to a stop. “I know what she said, I have ears... you don’t need to remind me why I stopped working with the girl, I remember.”

He had stopped working with Bianchi because her obsession was getting out of hand. He had avoided outright telling her to stop back then because she was just a child. Children formed crushes all the time on people. It was harmless in the beginning, but after another two years of working together Reborn finally decided to leave when ignoring Bianchi every time she did it wasn't getting the message across. Timoteo contacting him about a prospective and long-lasting job offer was the perfect way to cut her out without telling her why, leaving BIanchi on her own to grow. It had only been a year since he left to prepare for the job he was offered but Reborn had hoped that with him gone, Bianchi would realized how ridiculous her ‘crush’ was and moved on. Apparently, he was wrong.

Leon taps his tiny feet on the brim of the fedora, bulbous eyes gazing at him imploringly.

“... you know I’m going to make her cry, right?”

The chameleon just tilts his head.

“You’re right, I don’t care, but crying people give me hives... _fine_. I’ll go deal with it.“

 

* * *

 

A knock sounds on the hotel’s window and Bianchi ducks down immediately, eyes narrowed. Carefully, she makes her way over when another knock sounds, body poised to take cover if it’s an attack of some sort. She yanks the curtain back, ready for anything, and freezes up at the sight of Reborn. The tiny hitman is perched on the windowsill with hands on his hips and Bianchi immediately throws the window open. ” _My love!_ ” She cries, joy on her face and Reborn jumps past her, landing inside with light steps. Why is he here so late? Is he not that upset with her for earlier today? Has he decided to let this job go and leave this town, coming with her? Oh, she hopes so! She misses working together!

Smile growing wider on her face, Bianchi clicks the window latch shut and turns to face Reborn. The excitement and joy she was feeling dies down at his words and posture, “We need to talk.” Reborn's arms are crossed, face closed off, and she can’t get anything from his expression. Bianchi has always prided herself on being better at reading the hitman’s moods than other people.

“Talk?” She parrots. Talk about what?  
“Yes.”  
“About what, my love?”  
“ _That_.”

That? What does he mean? Bianchi feels nervous, but she can’t pinpoint why as she asks him to explain. “You calling me your lover. It needs to stop.” Reborn intones and Bianchi stills at his words, a numbness crawling over her. “W-what... why...” She murmurs shakily, not really comprehending what he said. “It was amusing when you were younger. In the same way a little kid telling someone they admire that they'll marry them when they grow up is amusing.” Reborn says and his expression is still closed off, blank and unreadable to her.

“I swear, I wasn't really trying to kill the Vongola heir’s Lightning guardi—“  
"This has nothing to do with that."  
“But... you never had a problem with my love for you bef—“  
“I’ve always had a problem with it, but you were just a little girl who had a harmless puppy crush back then. Why do you think I left a few months after you turned sixteen?”

He left because of that? She thought it was because the last of the Ninth of Vongola’s sons had died recently and the man had contacted Reborn in private, asking him to come to Sicily. They both knew it would be about a job offer and since it was only Reborn that was invited, Bianchi couldn’t go with.

She hadn’t a clue that it was because she called Reborn her lover... she thought he didn’t mind, that he found it funny! Like an inside joke between them! Something only they would get!

Bianchi had called Reborn her lover on one of the first hits she was undertaking herself when she was thirteen, Reborn having personally picked it as a test run of her growing skills. He had been watching over her, communicating with earpieces but not instructing her at all as she had to work out how to neutralize the target herself. The whole thing is what started her habit of calling him her lover.

 

* * *

 

 

_She's just slipped into the room Reborn set her up in, returning from poisoning the alcohol supply the target kept by their bed, when a knock sounds._

_“Room service!”_

_Bianchi goes still as her gaze freezes on the door. That can't be room service... it's too late at night. Has she been made?! Before she can start panicking, Reborn's voice sounds in her ear from the small earpiece, "Stall them. I'm on my way." Oh god, them?! There's more than one?! Glancing around the room, Bianchi's eyes land on the DVD case of the movie she had been watching earlier in the day to pass the time._

_Rushing to the door to quietly latch the heavier lock in place, Bianchi hisses out, “What do you think you’re doing? You’ll wake my lover up!” then adds, “He works very hard and I don’t want his sleep disturbed! Leave.”_  
_“But ma’am—“_  
_“Be quiet! You’ll wake him!”_

_It goes quiet, for a moment, Bianchi starts to relax as she believes her silly plan works. Then she barely hears the click of a gun cocking and Bianchi flings herself away from the door, landing on the floor, just before a gunshot rips through the lock and doorknob. It's a shotgun!_

_The door swings open and five people step, aiming guns right at her as she fearfully stares at them. The one closest to Bianchi sneers and remarks about how pathetic it was that their boss had been nearly poisoned by a little girl and that they should ditch after eliminating her. There are some murmur of agreements from the other four and Bianchi's eyes dart around the room, looking for a weapon. There's no way she can fight off five people, who are far bigger than her, with just her flames. She pulls at her core slowly, flames coiling just under her palms as one of the gunmen takes a step towards her. If she's quick maybe she melt through them, her flames are volatile enough to do that!_

_Bianchi prepares herself to jump to her feet and try to take them out but before they or she can do anything, the sound of the window shattering echoes through the hotel room. Each of the gunmen fall in rapid succession of each other, hitting the carpeted flooring with dull thuds. Hesitantly and a bit in shock, Bianchi sits up and stares at the closest one. There is a single and very accurately placed bullet hole right between the man's eyes, and as she looks at the four other gunmen she can see the same thing in them._

_Something red trailing through the air catches her attention and Bianchi glances up, taking in the laser sight that's coming through the hotel room's window as she follows it with her gaze. Reborn saved her._

_Not a second later the hitman's voice sounds over the earpiece, “You alright?” Bianchi nods mutely and then blinks as she realizes that Reborn probably can't see her due to her being on the floor, and says, “Y-yes, thank you...”_

_“... lover, huh?”_

_A flush of embarrassment and mortification washes through her as Bianchi stammers out, “I-I watched this romance movie earlier today about a woman who was hiding her lover while we waited for the target to fall asleep! It was the first thing I thought of! I’m sorry!” She goes to continue, trying to save face and not seem like a total loser when a low chuckle makes her next words die on her lips._

_“Relax. It was funny. Now clean up and meet me across the street. Don’t get followed... and good job, Bianchi. You did better than expected.” Reborn says and the red laser shining into the room vanishes from her sight. Bianchi sits on the floor for several minutes, running the hitman's words over in her head. Reborn's hardly ever praised her before... and this time he praised her even though she, technically, got caught... and he laughed too._

_He thought she was funny.... thought her idea to distract and stall had been funny! Reborn laughed because of her! Bianchi's never heard the tiny hitman laugh before, she had honestly thought maybe he couldn't._

_Getting to her feet to collect her things, Bianchi smiles to herself with childish happiness over having made Reborn laugh. She wants to make it happen again... Reborn's done a lot for her, given her a chance at becoming a hitwoman when everyone else scoffed at her over it. She knows it's only because Dr. Shamal agreed to find someone to teach her when she reached out to the man for help and guidance, but still. Reborn's been good to her. Sure, he's a taskmaster and is hard to impress but his training has been invaluable... and Bianchi looks up to him too. After all, Reborn is the World's Greatest Hitman. She still can't believe Dr. Shamal knew Reborn somehow, or that the doctor-assassin had enough pull to get Reborn to mentor her of all people._

 

_Stepping out of the hotel room and quickly making her way down the hall to the elevator, Bianchi swears to herself that she'll keep making Reborn laugh. If he laughs then he'll like her, will let her stay with him... then she won't have to worry about being lonely or on her own ever again._

 

* * *

 

“You’re nearly an adult now, Bianchi. It’s not amusing anymore.” Reborn intones, watching the girl from under the brim of his chameleon-less fedora as Leon chose to wait outside for this. Little coward.

“B-but Reborn, I love you—“ Bianchi begins, voice catching and Reborn cuts her off. “ _No_. You don’t. You love the idea of me.”

He’s always known that Bianchi at her heart is just lonely, and wants someone that will stick around for her. It’s one of the reasons why he didn’t speak out against the ‘lover’ thing in the beginning when she started doing it more often. She was just a kid trying to make someone she looked up too like her so they wouldn’t leave her all alone, and Reborn’s reputation protected her from more unsavory sorts in the underworld so he had let it be, let her use the ridiculous crush as a tool to keep herself protected.

He probably should have stopped being amused by it a lot sooner though, before it started becoming a problem and grew into this obsession. Bianchi had taken his continued amusement to mean he was fine with it, and Reborn had been for awhile. The situations the girl would use it in were genuinely funny in the beginning and she worked harder if he laughed or smiled at her antics. But the closer and closer she got to being a young woman, the more and more Reborn’s discomfort grew. She should have been over it, should have moved on as she matured and let go of her childhood admirations. Realized that it wasn’t something she should be doing anymore now that she no longer needed his reputation or name as a shield.

“I should have nipped this in the bud when you were younger but instead I thought you would grow out of it, so I let you have your fun. That was clearly a mistake.” Reborn says and Bianchi makes a wounded sound in the back of her throat as she stares at him with wide eyes. “I'm not your lover, and I don’t want you calling me that anymore... you don’t need my reputation or name as a protection anymore either, as you've made your own now name.” He says with a tone of finality and makes to leave when she rushes forward, blocking him off from the window.

“But I understand you! I _know_ you!” Bianchi's voice is desperate and Reborn grits his teeth as he says, “You don’t know me at all, Bianchi, and you definitely don’t understand me.” 

“ _But I do!_ You told me about the curse!”  
“That doesn’t mean you know m—“  
“I know what the loneliness you must feel is like! What being looked down on and never taken seriously because of how you look is lik—“

 

* * *

 

Bianchi snaps her mouth shut when sun flames flicker to life along Reborn for a split second, a golden glow flaring up in his eyes. His face is _furious_.

“ _You think you know what it’s like to be an Arcobaleno?!_ ” He snarls. “Think you know what it’s like to have to work yourself to the bone to gain back the respect and reputation you had before you were shackled to _this?!_ ” Reborn gestures at himself and the glow in his eyes starts getting brighter. Bianchi takes a step back, fear curling low in her gut as the hitman’s shadow starts stretching and warping behind him.

“You think just because daddy ignored you in favor of your baby brother, and then brother ran away leaving you all alone in too big of house, that you can understand loneliness?” His voice is steadily rising. The room feels smaller as his aura grows, pressing down on her with heated anger.

“You think you can comprehend what I have lived with for over  _thirty fucking years?!_ ” Reborn nearly shouts, eyes shining so bright with his flames that it casts light and shadow across the hitman's enraged expression. The atmosphere in the room is oppressive, burning the very air and Bianchi feels like she can’t breathe. She’s trembling, a deer-in-the-headlights, at the other's fury. “I-I-” Bianchi tries to say something, anything, but her throat has closed up with fear. She’s never seen this side of Reborn before, never felt this terrifying aura that permeates the air. This... this is the person that made the underworld fear and respect them despite their appearance. This is the one who gained the title ‘Worlds Greatest Hitman’

The room goes deathly quiet as Reborn stands in the center, completely still, gaze pinning her in place. “ _Don’t you ever tell me you can understand what I live with again_.” He hisses out, bitter anger on his tongue, breaking the silence in the room. The tiny hitman stalks towards her and Bianchi flinches back, moving out of his way as he leaps to the window sill and wrenches it open.

“It’s time you _grew up_ , Bianchi.” Reborn mutters and then slams the window behind him, with such force that it rattles it in its frame.

Bianchi stays still for a moment in shock before shuddering and falling to her knees. The oppressive atmosphere abruptly vanishes and she bursts into tears moments later.

 

* * *

 

Tsuna stumbles out of his room, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. He’s not sure why he woke up, but he’s so thirsty that he decided to get out of bed grab a glass of water before going back to sleep— A thunk sounds nearby, coming from his uncle’s bedroom... whose door is open. Tsuna blinks slowly at the open door in sleepy confusion. Yuuto likes keeping it closed when he sleeps.

Walking over, thinking that maybe his uncle just forgot to close it, Tsuna reaches past the door for the handle only to freeze.

Reborn is dragging, by the tail of his onesie, a sleeping Lambo behind him and towards the door. Well, at least Tsuna thinks Lambo is sleeping. He can’t tell if the little boy is actually asleep or if he’s been knocked unconscious by the one pulling him along the floor. Tsuna shuffles backwards as Reborn continues dragging Lambo forward, past the bedroom door and into the hall. The hitman lets go of the tail of the kid’s onesie and lightly dusts his hands off, face disgruntled as he turns and their eyes make contact. They silently stare at each other, neither blinking.

Reborn is still dressed in one of his suits. Did the hitman just now decide to go to bed? Tsuna makes a little noise, getting ready to ask, only to stop himself as Reborn raises a finger to his mouth in the universal sign for ‘shhh’.

“ _Go back to bed_.” Reborn murmurs, expression devoid of any emotion and Tsuna nods rapidly. He moves out of the way again when the tiny hitman stalks past him, back into his uncle’s bedroom and the door shuts behind the other with a soft click.

Tsuna stares at it, thinking of the way Reborn seemed coiled with tension when he had walked past him, how blank his face was. The other had seemed... off somehow? A loud sound makes him jump in place, hands slapping over his mouth to prevent the little squeal that tries to leave him. Quickly looking behind him, Tsuna relaxes instantly as his gaze falls on what made the sound. It was just Lambo. Going over to the five year old, he leans down and squints at the little boy's unconscious form. Lambo doesn’t appear to be injured in some way... why did Reborn drag him out here?

Another loud sound, a snore, rips from the kid and Tsuna makes a face to himself. That’s probably why Reborn dragged the kid out here. His uncle must be really, really tired if he was able to sleep through that so far.

Tsuna stands, gaze still on Lambo’s sleeping form as he ponders what to do. He can’t leave the little kid in the middle of the hallway, someone could trip... but he’s definitely not taking Lambo into his room to sleep, not with that snoring, and the couch is a no-go since it’s mostly nonexistent right now.

He rubs at his chin in thought for a moment before an idea strikes and Tsuna quietly marches to the linen closet in the hall to pull it open, dragging out sheets and some soft throw pillows. He still remembers how to make hammocks with blankets, from when a sleepover at Ryohei’s had turned into a pillowfort war. It had been Ryohei and Tsuna vs. Kyoko and Hana, as the girl’s friend was also sleeping over at the same time. The boys lost... miserably. Who knew Hana was some genius at war tactics, or that Kyoko was such a vicious pillowfighter?

Bending down, Tsuna carefully picks up Lambo and heads to the living room. He’ll set up the hammock for little boy, grab his glass of water and then go back to bed.

 

* * *

 

She’s flicking through a series of old manuscripts, noting down information of importance, when a familiar presence unfurls right outside the manor. Ah... she had been wondering when they’d come for a visit. Storm flames reach for hers and Asuka meets it halfway, the feeling of family and ‘hello’ being traded back and forth. The presence moves again and starts making their way through the manor, headed towards her study. A minute later they stop at the door then knock politely and Asuka smiles, calling out, “It’s unlocked.” and the sound of the door opening echoes in the room. Her visitor steps inside, not making a sound on the floor as he approaches where she's sitting. “How long will you be staying for this visit?” She asks her visitor. He's rarely able to make them and the last time had been when Kyouya was seven.

“I’m not sure. Everything’s been quiet...”  
“And your cute little pupil?”  
“She’ll be arriving tomorrow. You’ll watch over her if I have to suddenly leave?”  
“Of course.”

It’s quiet and she wonders when her visitor will ask. Asuka doesn't have to wait long before he says, “So, the rumors are true? The Vongola are training a civilian up to be their heir?” She laughs softly and replies, “Their heir? More likely he’ll be their little puppet on a string.”

“How long until they find out about the mother’s death? Has he informed them?”  
“He has not. He knows that what I did was within my right.”  
“... you’re extremely _lucky_ Reborn didn’t kill you when you revealed yourself, and honored that right. Not many mafiosos would have.”

Revealing herself so boldly with a dinner invitation like that was a calculated move. Asuka had banked on the hitman’s curiosity at discovering the identity of someone that could hid their presence from him so well. She knows she was lucky that when Reborn learned that it was her who kept Vongola from knowing anything going on in Namimori, instead of incredible incompetence, he had kept it to himself. Even more lucky that he didn’t just shoot her... yes, she is very lucky indeed.

“It was a calculated risk.”  
“ _Reborn is too dangerous for you to be taking risks like that_.” Her visitor states and Asuka smiles down at the old and timeworn pages laid out in front of her, “Did you know he couldn’t figure out who I was referring to when I said that you would kill him if he killed me? I’m impressed you’ve kept that a secret from him for so many years, considering you’re old friends from before.”

It’s quiet at what she says before her visitor speaks up again, voice disapproving. “ _Asuka_... don’t play your games with him. Reborn and I may be the most evenly matched of the Seven, but I can’t protect Kyouya and you from him if he gets Vongola involved.”  
“You can’t protect us much as it is. Not when the Triads still have you ensnared.”

Oh, how Asuka hates the Triads. They had gotten her visitor shortly after the Arcobaleno curse began, luring him in with the promise that they could help him break it and he had been desperate enough to listen, signing a contract with the Triads that still exists to this day.

He doesn’t respond and Asuka turns, fond smile on her lips as she lays eyes on her small visitor.

“Welcome home, bàba~”

Fon smiles back, gaze soft, and jumps up onto her desk. “It’s good to be home, băobèi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if anyone wanted Bianchi's 'love' thing to be drawn out to cause drama and stuff for Tsuna and Yuuto but... I really have no desire to write Bianchi( who is a teenager still) calling someone who is technically an adult and much older than her(but has the body of a baby), her lover for long.
> 
> Uhhh, my take on Bianchi is that she was starved for attention from her parents, got mutual attention from her brother, then lost everything. Then she meets Reborn, who takes an interest in her because she has potential and wants to be a hitwoman, so he decides to mentor her for a bit and see how she does. She does well enough and he sticks around, taking her on hits with him and teaching her more. That's positive attention and Bianchi develops a bit of a dependency streak on him because she's that lonely AND she's fairly young. Kids/teens tend to latch onto people who show them positive attention a lot harder than adults do. Tbh I had forgotten just how young Bianchi canonically is and how young she would have been when she actually started taking hits and met Reborn. So when I realized that she would have been in that age range of when kids/teens who don't have a good support network will latch onto the first person that gives them that, I knew how I was going to write her. The Bianchi I am writing does not have romantic feelings or any sort of attraction to Reborn, she just has severe issues with the possibility of being abandoned (due to family history) and feels like he can understand her and she can understand him the best out of anyone (because of the loneliness Reborn must feel and then her own loneliness). She used the 'lover' thing as a tool to keep Reborn around because he initially had a positive reaction to it the first time (and the next few times) it happened (laughing and THEN telling her good job on the hit) she saw it as a thing that was fine to do. She eventually did it so much that she stopped paying attention to how Reborn reacted, because it had become a habit for her. Reborn was initially okay with it, because like I said kids get silly crushes all the time, but as she got older and it wasn't going away that's when he started having a problem. He should have set her down and talked to her about it before it become a problem, instead of trying to ignore it at first and then just leaving her. (If anyone is curious, my childhood puppy crush was Steve Irwin. I swore up and down I would marry him one day.)
> 
> Yes. Fon is Asuka's father. The current gen of Arcobaleno have been cursed in their baby forms for 30 years. The ages I headcanoned them as adults before being cursed into non-aging baby bodies are:  
> Fon - 38  
> Reborn - 36  
> Colonello - 29  
> Lal - 32  
> Verde - 37  
> Viper/Mammon - 26  
> Skull - 25  
> Luce - 27  
> If you want their accumulative age, just add 30 years to each Arcobaleno's original adult form age up there.  
> (Asuka was 11 when Fon was cursed, so she’d be 41 in present time since it’s been 30 years since the Arcobaleno were cursed into infants.)
> 
> Translation  
> Bàba -father or the equivalent in Chinese  
> Băobèi - precious/treasure or the equivalent in Chinese  
> I most likely won't have Fon and Asuka call each other that very often. (if my translations are wrong please tell me, I'm crap at other languages)

**Author's Note:**

> \- When Yuuto finally grieves for Nana in the first chapter, the last lines (italicized) are actually references to the song Light by Sleeping At Last. It was one of my biggest motivators when coming up with this verse and Yuuto.  
> \- The name of this fic is a reference to North by Sleeping At Last. It was also a huge motivator.  
> \- There are many things that happen in this fic that are pretty unrealistic but KHR logic isn't the most sound.  
> \- I don't use Japanese honorifics because I'm, frankly, really terrible at using them. So I'm using the standard English ones instead.  
> \- Yuuto looks like https://sta.sh/027e1j3bn8pr and I have yet to draw Misumi or Asuka.


End file.
